CHAPTER 6

FUNCTIONS

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 Objectives
In this chapter, you will:
• Learn about standard (predefined) functions and
discover how to use them in a program
• Learn about user-defined functions
• Examine value-returning functions, including
actual and formal parameters
• Explore how to construct and use a value-
returning, user-defined function in a program

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 Objectives (cont.)
• Learn how to construct and use void functions in
a program
• Discover the difference between value and
reference parameters
• Explore reference parameters and value-
returning functions
• Learn about the scope of an identifier
• Examine the difference between local and global
identifiers
• Learn function overloading
• Explore functions with default parameters
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 Introduction
• Functions are like building blocks
• They allow complicated programs to be divided
into manageable pieces
• Some advantages of functions:
– A programmer can focus on just that part of the
program and construct it, debug it, and perfect it
– Different people can work on different functions
simultaneously
– Can be re-used (even in different programs)
– Enhance program readability

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 Introduction (cont.)
• Functions
– Called modules
– Like miniature programs
– Can be put together to form a larger program

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 Predefined Functions
• In algebra, a function is defined as a rule
or correspondence between values, called
the function’s arguments, and the unique
value of the function associated with the
arguments
– If f(x) = 2x + 5, then f(1) = 7,
f(2) = 9, and f(3) = 11
• 1, 2, and 3 are arguments
• 7, 9, and 11 are the corresponding values

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 Predefined Functions (cont.)
• Some of the predefined mathematical
functions are:
sqrt(x)
pow(x, y)
floor(x)
• Predefined functions are organized into
separate libraries
• I/O functions are in iostream header
• Math functions are in cmath header
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 Predefined Functions (cont.)
• pow(x,y) calculates xy
– pow(2, 3) = 8.0
– Returns a value of type double
– x and y are the parameters (or arguments)
• The function has two parameters
• sqrt(x) calculates the nonnegative
square root of x, for x >= 0.0
– sqrt(2.25) is 1.5
– Type double
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 Predefined Functions (cont.)
• The floor function floor(x) calculates
largest whole number not greater than x
– floor(48.79) is 48.0
– Type double
– Has only one parameter

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Predefined Functions (cont.)

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Predefined Functions (cont.)

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 User-Defined Functions
• Value-returning functions: have a return
type
– Return a value of a specific data type using
the return statement
• Void functions: do not have a return type
– Do not use a return statement to return a
value

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 Value-Returning Functions
• To use these functions you must:
– Include the appropriate header file in your
program using the include statement
– Know the following items:
• Name of the function
• Number of parameters, if any
• Data type of each parameter
• Data type of the value returned: called the type of
the function
– Function type
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 Value-Returning Functions
(continued)
• Because the value returned by a value-returning
function is unique, we must:
– Save the value for further calculation
– Use the value in some calculation
– Print the value
• A value-returning function is used in an
assignment or in an output statement
• One more thing is associated with functions:
– The code required to accomplish the task

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 Value-Returning Functions (cont.)
• Heading: first four properties above
– Example: int abs(int number)
• Formal Parameter: variable declared in the
heading
– Example: number
• Actual Parameter: variable or expression
listed in a call to a function
– Example: x = pow(u, v)
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 Value-Returning Functions (cont.)
• Syntax:

• functionType is also called the data type or

return type
• Formal parameter list can be empty:

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 return Statement
• Once a value-returning function computes the value, the
function returns this value via the return statement
– It passes this value outside the function via the return
statement
– The return statement has the following syntax:

• In C++, return is a reserved word

• When a return statement executes
– Function immediately terminates
– Control goes back to the caller
• When a return statement executes in the function
main, the program terminates

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 Function Prototype
• Function prototype: function heading without the
body of the function
• Syntax:

• It is not necessary to specify the variable name

in the parameter list
• The data type of each parameter must be
specified
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 Void Functions
• Void functions and value-returning functions
have similar structures
– Both have a heading part and a statement part
• User-defined void functions can be placed either
before or after the function main
• If user-defined void functions are placed after
the function main
– The function prototype must be placed before the
function main

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 Void Functions (cont.)
• A void function does not have a return
type
– return statement without any value is
typically used to exit the function early
• Formal parameters are optional
• A call to a void function is a stand-alone
statement

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Void Functions without Parameters
• Function definition syntax:

void is a reserved word

• Function call syntax:

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Void Functions with Parameters
• Function definition syntax:

Example:

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 Void Functions with Parameters
(cont.)
• Value parameter: a formal parameter that
receives a copy of the content of corresponding
actual parameter
• Reference parameter: a formal parameter that
receives the location (memory address) of the
corresponding actual parameter

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 Value Parameters
• If a formal parameter is a value parameter
– The value of the corresponding actual
parameter is copied into it
• The value parameter has its own copy of
the data
• During program execution
– The value parameter manipulates the data
stored in its own memory space

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Reference Variables as Parameters
• If a formal parameter is a reference parameter
– It receives the memory address of the corresponding
actual parameter
• A reference parameter stores the address of the
corresponding actual parameter
• During program execution to manipulate data
– The address stored in the reference parameter directs
it to the memory space of the corresponding actual
parameter

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Reference Variables as Parameters
(cont.)
• Reference parameters can:
– Pass one or more values from a function
– Change the value of the actual parameter
• Reference parameters are useful in three
situations:
– Returning more than one value
– Changing the actual parameter
– When passing the address would save
memory space and time

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 Value and Reference Parameters
and Memory Allocation
• When a function is called
– Memory for its formal parameters and
variables declared in the body of the function
(called local variables) is allocated in the
function data area
• In the case of a value parameter
– The value of the actual parameter is copied
into the memory cell of its corresponding
formal parameter
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 Value and Reference Parameters
and Memory Allocation (cont.)
• In the case of a reference parameter
– The address of the actual parameter passes
to the formal parameter
• Content of formal parameter is an address
• During execution, changes made by the
formal parameter permanently change the
value of the actual parameter

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 Reference Parameters and Value-
Returning Functions
• You can also use reference parameters in a
value-returning function
– Not recommended
• By definition, a value-returning function returns a
single value
– This value is returned via the return statement
• If a function needs to return more than one
value, you should change it to a void function
and use the appropriate reference parameters to
return the values

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 Scope of an Identifier
• The scope of an identifier refers to where
in the program an identifier is accessible
• Local identifier: identifiers declared within
a function (or block)
• Global identifier: identifiers declared
outside of every function definition
• C++ does not allow nested functions
– The definition of one function cannot be
included in the body of another function
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 Global Variables, Named
Constants, and Side Effects
• Using global variables has side effects
• A function that uses global variables is not
independent
• If more than one function uses the same global
variable and something goes wrong
– It is difficult to find what went wrong and where
– Problems caused in one area of the program may
appear to be from another area
• Global named constants have no side effects

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 Function Overloading
• In a C++ program, several functions can have
the same name
– This is called function overloading or overloading a
function name
• Two functions are said to have different formal
parameter lists if both functions have:
– A different number of formal parameters, or
– If the number of formal parameters is the same, then
the data type of the formal parameters, in the order
you list them, must differ in at least one position
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 Function Overloading (cont.)
• The following functions all have different formal
parameter lists:

• The following functions have the same formal

parameter list:

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 Function Overloading (cont.)
• Function overloading: creating several
functions with the same name
• The signature of a function consists of the
function name and its formal parameter list
• Two functions have different signatures if
they have either different names or
different formal parameter lists
• Note that the signature of a function does
not include the return type of the function
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 Function Overloading (cont.)
• Correct function overloading:

• Syntax error:

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Functions with Default Parameters
• In a function call, the number of actual and
formal parameters must be the same
– C++ relaxes this condition for functions with default
parameters
• You specify the value of a default parameter
when the function name appears for the first
time (e.g., in the prototype)
• If you do not specify the value of a default
parameter, the default value is used

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Functions with Default Parameters
(cont.)
• All default parameters must be the rightmost
parameters of the function
• In a function call where the function has more
than one default parameter and a value to a
default parameter is not specified:
– You must omit all of the arguments to its right
• Default values can be constants, global
variables, or function calls
– However, you cannot assign a constant value as a
default value to a reference parameter
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 Functions with Default Parameters (cont.)
• Consider the following prototype:

• Assume:
– a, b are int, ch is char, d is double
• Examples of legal calls:

• Examples of illegal calls:

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 Functions with Default Parameters (cont.)

• Examples of illegal function prototypes with

default parameters:

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 Summary
• Functions (modules) are miniature programs
– Divide a program into manageable tasks
• C++ provides the standard functions
• Two types of user-defined functions: value-
returning functions and void functions
• Variables defined in a function heading are
called formal parameters
• Expressions, variables, or constant values in a
function call are called actual parameters
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 Summary (cont.)
• In a function call, the number of actual
parameters and their types must match with the
formal parameters in the order given
• To call a function, use its name together with the
actual parameter list
• Function heading and the body of the function
are called the definition of the function
• If a function has no parameters, you need
empty parentheses in heading and call
• A value-returning function returns its value via
the return statement

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 Summary (cont.)
• A prototype is the function heading without
the body of the function; prototypes end
with the semicolon
• Prototypes are placed before every
function definition, including main
• User-defined functions execute only when
they are called
• In a call statement, specify only the actual
parameters, not their data types
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 Summary (cont.)
• Void function: does not have a data type
– A return statement without any value can be used
in a void function to exit it early
– The heading starts with the word void
– To call the function, you use the function name
together with the actual parameters in a stand-alone
statement
• Two types of formal parameters:
– Value parameters
– Reference parameters

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 Summary (cont.)
• A value parameter receives a copy of its
corresponding actual parameter
• A reference parameter receives the
memory address of its corresponding
actual parameter
– If a formal parameter needs to change the
value of an actual parameter, you must
declare this formal parameter as a reference
parameter in the function heading
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 Summary (cont.)
• Variables declared within a function (or
block) are called local variables
• Variables declared outside of every
function definition (and block) are global
variables
• C++ functions can have default
parameters
Source:
C++ Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design,
Fourth Edition
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