04/10/17

Functions = Outsourcing
• Break large computing tasks into small ones
• Helps you to build on what others have done
– You and others write functions
CS1100
– When you want to build a program, find out how to
Introduction to Programming use the function and use it
• Using standard functions provided by the library
Functions
– You are hidden from the implementation
Madhu Mutyam – Example – you don’t have to worry about how
Department of Computer Science and Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Madras pow(m, n) is implemented
• As engineers from different disciplines you will
Course Material – SD, SB, PSK, NSN, DK, TAG – CS&E, IIT M 1
use and develop different set of functions
SD, PSK, NSN, DK, TAG – CS&E, IIT M 2

Modular Programming Example of Function Sets

• Subprograms • String manipulation
– functions in C, C++, procedures and functions in Pascal • Mathematical
– facilitate modular programming • Finite Element Method
• Overall task is divided into modules
– Used in structural analysis by Mechanical, Civil,
• Each module - a collection of subprograms
Aero, etc. for stress calculations etc.
– a subprogram may be invoked at several points
• A commonly used computation
• Most function libraries cost a lot
– hiding the implementation – Business opportunity – identify functions that are
useful to your area of study, create libraries
– changes can be incorporated easily
• Functions for use in different software
– Say, functions for web services
SD, PSK, NSN, DK, TAG – CS&E, IIT M 3 SD, PSK, NSN, DK, TAG – CS&E, IIT M 4

Power Function Calling Power Function with i=3

#include <stdio.h> function prototype printf(“%d %d %d\n”, i, power(3,i), power(-4,i));
int power (int, int); Computes the nth power of
main( ) { base (1st parameter) -64
for ( int i = 0; i < 20; i ++ )
27
printf(“%d %d %d\n”, i, power(3,i), power(-4,i));
}
int power (int base, int n) { int power (int base, int n){ int power (int base, int n){
int i, p = 1; Invocation with int i, p = 1; int i, p = 1;
arguments for ( i = 1; i <= n ; i ++) for ( i = 1; i <= n ; i ++)
for ( i = 1; i <= n ; i ++) A block
p = p * base; p = p * base; p = p * base;
return p; return p; return p;
} } }
SD, PSK, NSN, DK, TAG – CS&E, IIT M 5 SD, PSK, NSN, DK, TAG – CS&E, IIT M 6

1
 04/10/17

Recursive Function Example Recursive Function Example

power(3, 13) return 1594323
int power (int num, int exp) {
int p; return power(3, 6)*power(3,6)*3 return 729*729*3
The base case exp = 1
if (exp = = 1) return num;
Guarantees termination
p = power(num, exp/2); return power(3, 3)*power(3,3) return 27*27
if (exp % 2 = = 0) return p*p;
else return p*p*num;} return power(3, 1)*power(3,1)*3 return 3*3*3

return 3

SD, PSK, NSN, DK, TAG – CS&E, IIT M 7 SD, PSK, NSN, DK, TAG – CS&E, IIT M 8

Factorial (n) Factorial (n) – Recursive Program

n! = 1 * 2 * 3 * .... * (n-2) * (n-1) * n n! = n * (n-1)!
Iterative version
In practice int may int fact(int n)
not be enough! {
int fact(int n){
if (n == 0) return(1);
int i;
return (n*fact(n - 1));
int result;
result = 1; }
for (i = 1; i <= n; i++)
• Shorter, simpler to understand
result = result * i;
• Uses fewer variables
return result;
• Machine has to do more work running this one!
}
SD, PSK, NSN, DK, TAG – CS&E, IIT M 9 SD, PSK, NSN, DK, TAG – CS&E, IIT M 10

Basics Basics
• Function is a part of your program • Transfer of control is affected by calling a
– It cannot be a part of any other function function
– main( ) is a function: it is the main function – With a function call, we pass some parameters
• Execution starts there or the control flow starts there – These parameters are used within the function
– From there it can flow from one function to another, – A value is computed
return after a computation with some values, probably, – The value is returned to the function which initiated
and then flow on the call
– The calling function can ignore the value returned
– It could use it in some other computation
– A function could call itself, these are called recursive
function calls
SD, PSK, NSN, DK, TAG – CS&E, IIT M 11 SD, PSK, NSN, DK, TAG – CS&E, IIT M 12

2
 04/10/17

Add Functions to Your Program Features

• A program is a set of variables, and assignments • C program -- a collection of functions
to variables – function main ( ) - mandatory - program starts here.
• Now we add functions to it • C is not a block structured language
– Set of variables – a function cannot be defined inside another function
– Some functions including main( ) – only variables can be defined in functions / blocks
– Communicating values to each other • Variables can be defined outside of all functions
– Computing and returning values for each other – global variables - accessible to all functions
• Instead of one long program, we now write a – a means of sharing data between functions - caution
structured program composed of functions • Recursion is possible
– a function can call itself - directly or indirectly
SD, PSK, NSN, DK, TAG – CS&E, IIT M 13 SD, PSK, NSN, DK, TAG – CS&E, IIT M 14

Function – General Form Function Definition in C

• return-type function-name (argument declarations)
return-type function-name (argument declarations) {variable/constant declarations and statements}
{ • Arguments or parameters: No function
declarations here!
declaration and statements – the means of giving input to the function
return expression; – type and name of arguments are declared
• names are formal - local to the function
}
• Return value: for giving the output value
Matching the
– return ( expression ); -- optional number and type
• To invoke a function of arguments

function-name(exp1,exp2,…,expn);
SD, PSK, NSN, DK, TAG – CS&E, IIT M 15 SD, PSK, NSN, DK, TAG – CS&E, IIT M 16

Function Prototype More on Functions

• Used by the compiler to check the usage • To write a program
– prevents execution-time errors – You could create one file with all the functions
• Defines – You could/are encouraged to identify different modules
– the number of parameters, type of each parameter, and write functions for each module in a different file
– type of the return value of a function – Each module will have a separate associated header file
with the variable declaration global to that module
• Ex: function prototype of power function:
– You could compile each module separately and a .o file
int power ( int, int ); will be created
– no need for naming the parameters – You can then cc the different .o files and get an a.out
• Function prototypes are given in the beginning file
– This helps you to debug each module separately
SD, PSK, NSN, DK, TAG – CS&E, IIT M 17 SD, PSK, NSN, DK, TAG – CS&E, IIT M 18

3
 04/10/17

Running with Less Memory Call by Value

• Functions • In C, function arguments are passed “by value”
– Provided to break up our problem into more basic – values of the arguments given to the called function
units in temporary variables rather than the originals
– Control flow – flows from function to function, – the modifications to the parameter variables do not
saving the current context, changing contexts, then affect the variables in the calling function
returning….. • “Call by reference”
– Helps the program to run with lesser memory, but – variables are passed by reference
slightly slower than a monolithic program without • subject to modification by the function
functions
– achieved by passing the “address of” variables
• Typically functions communicate using the
arguments and return values
SD, PSK, NSN, DK, TAG – CS&E, IIT M 19 SD, PSK, NSN, DK, TAG – CS&E, IIT M 20

Call by Value – An Example Call by Reference

main( ) { #include <stdio.h>
int p = 1, q = 2, r = 3, s; Function prototype void quoRem(int, int, int*, int*); /*addresses or pointers*/
int test(int, int, int); main( ){
Function call
int x, y, quo, rem; Passing
…; addresses
scanf(“%d%d”, &x, &y);
s = test (p, q, r); … /* s is assigned 9 */
quoRem(x, y, &quo, &rem);
} /* p,q,r don’t change, only their copies do */
printf(“%d %d”, quo , rem);
Does not return
Function definition }
int test( int a, int b, int c){ anything
a ++; b ++; c ++;
return (a + b + c); void quoRem(int num, int den, int* quoAdr, int* remAdr){
} *quoAdr = num / den; *remAdr = num % den;
}
SD, PSK, NSN, DK, TAG – CS&E, IIT M 21 SD, PSK, NSN, DK, TAG – CS&E, IIT M 22

int fact(int n)
Pending Computations {
if (n == 1) return 1;
Tail Recursion
• In this recursive version the calling }
return n * fact(n - 1);

version still has pending work after int fact(n)

{ return fact_aux(n, 1); }
it gets the return value.
(fact 4)
4 * (fact 3) Auxiliary variable The recursive call is
in the return
3 * (fact 2)
It needs to save int fact_aux(int n, int result) statement. The
2 * (fact 1) function simply
some values for { returns what it gets
future use 1
if (n == 1) return result; from the call it
2*1 =2 makes. The calling
return fact_aux(n - 1, n * result) version does not
3*2 = 6
} have to save any
4*6 = 24 values!

SD, PSK, NSN, DK, TAG – CS&E, IIT M 23 SD, PSK, NSN, DK, TAG – CS&E, IIT M 24