Functions

Announcements
Expressions
Types of expressions

An expression describes a computation and evaluates to a value

18 + 69 log2 1024
6 sin ⇡
23
2100 p
f (x) 3493161
100
X 1
7 mod 2 lim
i ✓ ◆ x!1 x
i=1
69
| 1869| 18

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Call Expressions in Python

All expressions can use function call notation

(Demo)

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Anatomy of a Call Expression

add ( 2 , 3 )

Operator Operand Operand

Operators and operands are also expressions

So they evaluate to values

Evaluation procedure for call expressions:

1. Evaluate the operator and then the operand subexpressions

2. Apply the function that is the value of the operator

to the arguments that are the values of the operands

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Evaluating Nested Expressions

224
mul(add(4, mul(4, 6)), add(3, 5))

mul 28 8
add(4, mul(4, 6)) add(3, 5)

add 4 24 add 3 5

mul(4, 6)

mul 4 6

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Evaluating Nested Expressions

Value of the whole expression

Operand subexpression
224
mul(add(4, mul(4, 6)), add(3, 5))

Value of subexpression 1st argument to mul

mul 28 8
add(4, mul(4, 6)) add(3, 5)

add 4 24 add 3 5

mul(4, 6)

mul 4 6

Expression tree

8
Names, Assignment, and User-Defined Functions

(Demo)
Types of Expressions

Primitive expressions: 2 add 'hello'

Number or Numeral Name String

Call expressions: max ( 2 , 3 )

Operator Operand Operand

An operand can also max(min(pow(3, 5), -4), min(1, -2))

be a call expression

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Discussion Question 1

What is the value of the final expression in this sequence?

>>> f = min

>>> f = max

>>> g, h = min, max

>>> max = g

>>> max(f(2, g(h(1, 5), 3)), 4)

???

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Environment Diagrams
Environment Diagrams

Environment diagrams visualize the interpreter’s process.

Just executed Import statement

Name Value

Next to execute Assignment statement

Code (left): Frames (right):

Statements and expressions Each name is bound to a value

Arrows indicate evaluation order Within a frame, a name cannot be repeated

(Demo)

http://pythontutor.com/composingprograms.html#code=from%20math%20import%20pi%0Atau%20%3D%202%20*%20pi&cumulative=false&curInstr=1&mode=display&origin=composingprograms.js&py=3&rawInputLstJSON=%5B%5D
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Assignment Statements

Just executed

Next to execute

Just executed

Execution rule for assignment statements:

1. Evaluate all expressions to the right of = from left to right.

2. Bind all names to the left of = to those resulting values in the current frame.

http://pythontutor.com/composingprograms.html#code=a%20%3D%201%0Ab%20%3D%202%0Ab,%20a%20%3D%20a%20%2B%20b,%20b&cumulative=false&curInstr=0&mode=display&origin=composingprograms.js&py=3&rawInputLstJSON=%5B%5D
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Discussion Question 1 Solution
(Demo)

func min(...) 3 4
f(2, g(h(1, 5), 3))

3
func max(...) 2 3
g(h(1, 5), 3)

func min(...) 5 3
h(1, 5)

func max(...) 1 5

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http://pythontutor.com/composingprograms.html#code=f%20%3D%20min%0Af%20%3D%20max%0Ag,%20h%20%3D%20min,%20max%0Amax%20%3D%20g%0Amax%28f%282,%20g%28h%281,%205%29,%203%29%29,%204%29&cumulative=false&curInstr=0&mode=display&origin=composingprograms.js&py=3&rawInputLstJSON=%5B%5D
Defining Functions
Defining Functions

Assignment is a simple means of abstraction: binds names to values

Function definition is a more powerful means of abstraction: binds names to expressions

Function signature indicates how many arguments a function takes

>>> def <name>(<formal parameters>):

return <return expression>

Function body defines the computation performed when the function is applied

Execution procedure for def statements:

1. Create a function with signature <name>(<formal parameters>)

2. Set the body of that function to be everything indented after the first line

3. Bind <name> to that function in the current frame

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Calling User-Defined Functions
Procedure for calling/applying user-defined functions (version 1):
1. Add a local frame, forming a new environment
2. Bind the function's formal parameters to its arguments in that frame
3. Execute the body of the function in that new environment

Built-in function

Original name of
function called

User-defined
Local frame function

Formal parameter
bound to argument
Return value
(not a binding!)

http://pythontutor.com/composingprograms.html#code=from%20operator%20import%20mul%0Adef%20square%28x%29%3A%0A%20%20%20%20return%20mul%28x,%20x%29%0Asquare%28-2%29&cumulative=true&curInstr=0&mode=display&origin=composingprograms.js&py=3&rawInputLstJSON=%5B%5D
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Calling User-Defined Functions
Procedure for calling/applying user-defined functions (version 1):
1. Add a local frame, forming a new environment
2. Bind the function's formal parameters to its arguments in that frame
3. Execute the body of the function in that new environment

A function’s signature has all the

information needed to create a local frame

http://pythontutor.com/composingprograms.html#code=from%20operator%20import%20mul%0Adef%20square%28x%29%3A%0A%20%20%20%20return%20mul%28x,%20x%29%0Asquare%28-2%29&cumulative=true&curInstr=0&mode=display&origin=composingprograms.js&py=3&rawInputLstJSON=%5B%5D
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Looking Up Names In Environments

Every expression is evaluated in the context of an environment.

So far, the current environment is either:

• The global frame alone, or
• A local frame, followed by the global frame.

Most important two things I’ll say all day:

An environment is a sequence of frames.
A name evaluates to the value bound to that name in the earliest frame of the current
environment in which that name is found.

E.g., to look up some name in the body of the square function:

• Look for that name in the local frame.
• If not found, look for it in the global frame.
(Built-in names like “max” are in the global frame too,
but we don’t draw them in environment diagrams.)
(Demo)
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