Function

CHAPTER 5
Why use Function
 You can simplify programming tasks by breaking
programs into smaller logical components.
 Function are used to divide a large code into module, due
to this we can easily debug and maintain the code.
 E.g. if we write a calculator programs at that time we can
write every logic in a separate function [For addition
sum(), for subtraction sub()].
 Any function can be called many times.

 Code Re-usability

 Develop an application in module format.

 Easily to debug the program.

 Code optimization: No need to write lot of code.

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 Function Definitions
 Function definition: statements that make up a
function
 A function is a group of statements that together
perform a specific task.
 Every C++ program has at least one function, which is
main().
 Every function that is called in a program must be
defined somewhere (once only).
return_type
 The syntax is: function_name(parameter)
{
function body;
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 Function Definition
 Definition includes:
 return type: data type of the value that function
returns to the part of the program that called it
 name: name of the function. Function names follow
same rules as variables
 parameter list: variables containing values passed to
the function
 body: statements that perform the function’s task,
enclosed in {}

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Function Definition

 Note: The line that reads int main()is the

function header.

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 Function Return Type

 If a function returns a value, the type of the

value must be indicated:
int main()
 If a function does not return a value, its
return type is void:
void printHeading()
{
cout << "Monthly Sales\n";
}

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 Function Declarations

 A function declaration is the process of tells the

compiler about a function name.
 Then, the actual body of the function can be defined
separately.
 The syntax is: return_type
function_name(parameter);

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Function Calling
 The syntax is: function_name(); // or
variable=function_name(argument);

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Example: sum() function Print out:

#include<iostream.h> Sum:
33

void sum(); // declaring a function

int a = 11, b = 22, c;

int main()
{
sum(); // calling the function
return 0;
}

void sum() // defining the function

{
c = a + b;
cout << "Sum: " << c;
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}
example

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Type of Function
 There are two type of function in C++ Language. They
are:
 Library function or pre-define function.
 User defined function.

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 Library Function
 Library functions are the built-in function in C++
programming.
 Programmer can use library function by invoking function
directly;
#include they don't need to write it themselves, for example:
<iostream>
#include <cmath> // includes the content of cmath file.
using namespace std;
int main() Print out:
{ Enter a number: 26
double number, squareRoot; Square root of 26 =
cout << "Enter a number: "; 5.09902
cin >> number;
// sqrt() is a library function to calculate square root.
squareRoot = sqrt(number);
cout << "Square root of " << number << " = " << squareRoot;
return 0;
}
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Sending Data into a
Function
 Can pass values into a function at time
of call:
c = pow(a, b);

 Values passed to function are arguments

 Variables in a function that hold the

values passed as arguments are
parameters

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A Function with a Parameter Variable

void displayValue(int num)

{
cout << "The value is " << num << endl;
}

 The integer variable num is a parameter.

It accepts any integer value
passed to the function.

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 Passing value or data to function
 There are two ways to pass value or data to function.
 call by value
 call by reference

 Call by value: In call by value, original value can not be

changed or modified.
 Call by reference: In call by reference, original value is
changed or modified because we pass a reference (an
address). So actual and formal arguments shares the same
address space. Hence, any value changed inside the function, is
reflected inside as well as outside the function.

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 Continued
The value of num1 and num2 are initialized to
variables a and b respectively. These arguments a and b are
called formal arguments. For example:

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Return Statement
 A function can return a single value to the calling
program using return statement. In the previous
program, the value of add is returned from user-defined
function to the calling program using statement below:

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Returning a Value From a Function

 A function can return a value back to the

statement that called the function.
 You've already seen the pow function, which
returns a value:

double x;
x = pow(2.0, 10.0);

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 Returning a Value From a Function
 In a value-returning function, the return
statement can be used to return a value
from function to the point of call. Example:

int sum(int num1, int num2)

{
double result;
result = num1 + num2;
return result;
}

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 A Value-Returning Function

Return Type

int sum(int num1, int num2)

{
double result;
result = num1 + num2;
return result;
}

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A Value-Returning
Function

int sum(int num1, int num2)

{
return num1 + num2;
}

Functions can return the values of

expressions, such as num1 + num2

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Example: Call by Value function
#include<iostream.h>

void swap(int a, int b){

int temp;
temp = a; Print out:
a = b; Value of a: 111
b = temp; Value of b: 222
}

void main(){
int a=111, b=222;
swap(a, b); // passing value to function
cout<<"Value of a: "<< a <<endl;
cout<<"Value of b: "<< b <<endl;
}
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Example: Call by Reference
function
#include<iostream.h>

void swap(int *a, int *b){

int temp;
temp = *a; Print out:
*a = *b; Value of a: 222
*b = temp; Value of b: 111
}

void main(){
int a=111, b=222;
swap(&a, &b); // passing value to function
cout<<"Value of a: "<< a <<endl;
cout<<"Value of b: "<< b <<endl;
}
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Summary: Argument
Passing
 Arguments passed by value and by reference.
For example:

When f() is called, val++ For example: int

increments a local copy of main(){
the first actual argument,
whereas ref++ int i=1;
increments the second
actual argument. int j=1;
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 Continued

Difference Between Call by Value and Call by Reference.

call by Value call by Reference
This method copy address of
This method copy original value
arguments into function as a
into function as a arguments.
arguments.
Changes made to the parameter
Changes made to the parameter
affect the argument. Because
inside the function have no
address is used to access the
effect on the argument.
actual argument.
Actual and formal arguments Actual and formal arguments
will be created in different will be created in same memory
memory location location

Note: By default, C++ uses call by value to pass arguments.

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 Function Overloading
 Two or more functions having same name but different
argument(s) are known as overloaded functions.
 In Function Overloading “Function” name should be the same
and the arguments should be different.
 Here, all 4 functions are overloaded functions called “test”
because argument(s) passed to these functions are different.
 For example: int test() { }
int test(int a) { }
float test(double a) { }
int test(int a, double b) { }

 N.B., the return type of all these 4 functions are not same.
Overloaded functions may or may not have different return
type but it should have different argument(s).
double test(int a) { }
int test(int b) { }
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