Python- Day 24- FUNCTIONS- Return Values

• A function can process data and return a value or set of values.
• The value returned is called a return value.
• The return statement sends the value back to the line where the function was called.
• Benefits: Simplifies the main program by delegating work to functions.

def add_numbers(a, b):
    return a + b

result = add_numbers(5, 3)
print(result)  # Output: 8

Returning a Simple Value:

A function can return a single, formatted result based on input.

For example, Formatting a person’s full name

def get_formatted_name(first_name, last_name):
   
    full_name = f"{first_name} {last_name}"
    return full_name.title()

musician = get_formatted_name('Nidhi', 'Ashtikar')
print(musician)  # Output: Nidhi Ashtikar

The get_formatted_name() function combines the first and last name, and formats it using title(), and returns the result.

Optional Arguments:

Default argument values can be used to make parameters optional.

Allows more flexible function calls where some information may not always be necessary.

def get_formatted_name(first_name, last_name, middle_name=''):

    if middle_name:
        full_name = f"{first_name} {middle_name} {last_name}"
    else:
        full_name = f"{first_name} {last_name}"
    return full_name.title()

# Calling the function with and without a middle name:
musician1 = get_formatted_name('Nidhi', 'ashtikar')
musician2 = get_formatted_name('nidhi', 'Ashtikar', 'Nid')

print(musician1)  # Output: Nidhi Ashtikar
print(musician2)  # Output: Nidhi Nid Ashtikar

Middle name is made optional by providing a default empty string middle_name=''.

The function checks if the middle name is provided, and formats accordingly.

Returning a Dictionary:

Functions can return complex data structures like dictionaries.

This allows organizing related data in a structured format.

def build_person(first_name, last_name):

    person = {'first': first_name, 'last': last_name}
    return person

musician = build_person('nidhi', 'ashtikar')
print(musician)  # Output: {'first': 'nidhi', 'last': 'ashtikar'}

The function stores the first and last names in a dictionary and returns the entire dictionary.

Adding Optional Dictionary Values:

Use None as a default value for optional arguments that may not always be provided.

def build_person(first_name, last_name, age=None):
    
    person = {'first': first_name, 'last': last_name}
    if age:
        person['age'] = age
    return person

musician = build_person('nidhi', 'ashtikar', age=35)
print(musician)  # Output: {'first': 'nidhi', 'last': 'ashtikar', 'age': 35}

The optional age parameter is added to the dictionary only if it’s provided.

def build_person(first_name, last_name, age=None):
    
    person = {'first': first_name, 'last': last_name}
    if age:
        person['age'] = age
    return person

musician = build_person('nidhi', 'ashtikar')
print(musician)  # Output: {'first': 'nidhi', 'last': 'ashtikar'}

Using Functions in a Loop:

Functions can be used within loops to repeatedly perform actions based on user input.

Example: A function to format names used in a while loop to greet users.

def get_formatted_name(first_name, last_name):
    
    full_name = f"{first_name} {last_name}"
    return full_name.title()

while True:
    print("\nPlease tell me your name:")
    f_name = input("First name: ")
    if f_name == 'q':
        break
    l_name = input("Last name: ")
    if l_name == 'q':
        break
    formatted_name = get_formatted_name(f_name, l_name)
    print(f"\nHello, {formatted_name}!")

>>

Please tell me your name:
First name: Nidhi
Last name: Ashtikar

Hello, Nidhi Ashtikar!

Please tell me your name:
First name: q
>

The user can repeatedly input their name, and the program will greet them. The loop continues until the user enters ‘q’ to quit.

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