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Lambda Functions For Python 3

This document introduces lambda functions in Python. Lambda functions allow defining anonymous one-line functions and are useful for simple tasks. An example adds 2 to an input number. Another checks if a string is a substring. A third uses an if/else statement to return different strings based on a grade being above or below 90. Lambda functions are concise but not reusable like regular functions.

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Juan Rafael Paulino
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156 views

Lambda Functions For Python 3

This document introduces lambda functions in Python. Lambda functions allow defining anonymous one-line functions and are useful for simple tasks. An example adds 2 to an input number. Another checks if a string is a substring. A third uses an if/else statement to return different strings based on a grade being above or below 90. Lambda functions are concise but not reusable like regular functions.

Uploaded by

Juan Rafael Paulino
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Lambda Functions

Learn how to define a Python function in one line!


A function is an object that is able to accept some sort of input, possibly
modify it, and return some sort of output. In Python, a lambda function is a
one-line shorthand for function. A simple lambda function might look like
this:

add_two = lambda my_input: my_input + 2


So this code:

print(add_two(3))
print(add_two(100))
print(add_two(-2))
would print:

>>> 5
>>> 102
>>> 0
Let’s break this syntax down:

1. The function is stored in a variable called add_two


2. lambda declares that this is a lambda function (if you are familiar with
normal Python functions, this is similar to how we use def to declare a
function)
3. my_input is what we call the input we are passing into add_two
4. We are returning my_input plus 2 (with normal Python functions, we
use the keyword return)

Let’s write a lambda function that checks if a string is a substring of the


string “This is the master string”.

is_substring = lambda my_string: my_string in "This is the


master string"
So, the code:

print(is_substring('I'))
print(is_substring('am'))
print(is_substring('the'))
print(is_substring('master'))
would print:
>>> False
>>> False
>>> True
>>> True
We might want a function that will perform differently based on different
inputs. Let’s say that we have a function check_if_A_grade that outputs 'Got an
A!' if a grade is at least 90, and otherwise says you 'Did not get an A…'. So,
the code:

print(check_if_A_grade(91))
print(check_if_A_grade(70))
print(check_if_A_grade(20))
would print:

>>> 'Got an A!'


>>> 'Did not get an A...'
>>> 'Did not get an A...'
We can do this using an if statement in our lambda function, with syntax
that looks like:

<WHAT TO RETURN IF STATEMENT IS TRUE> if <IF STATEMENT> else


<WHAT TO RETURN IF STATEMENT IS FALSE>
So this is what our check_if_A_grade function might look like:

check_if_A_grade = lambda grade: 'Got an A!' if grade >= 90


else 'Did not get an A...'
This is what this line of code does:

1. Declare lambda function with an input called grade (lambda grade:)


2. Return 'Got an A!' if this statement is true:

grade >= 90

3. Otherwise, return 'Did not get an A...' if this statement is not true:

grade >= 90
Lambda functions only work if we’re just doing a one line command. If we
wanted to something longer, we’d need a more complex function. Lambda
functions are great when you need to use a function once. Because you
aren’t defining a function, the reusability aspect functions is not present
with lambda functions. By saving the work of defining a function, a lambda
function allows us to efficiently run an expression and produce an output
for a specific task, such as defining a column in a table, or populating
information in a dictionary.

Now you can make simple Python functions in one line!

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