Lecture 5:

Functions (part 1)

Dr. Fadi Alzhouri

Concordia University

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Review

• Loops in C++
• While
• Do/while
• For
• Stream manipulation functions.

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What are Functions?
Function:
• a set of statements to perform a certain task.
• a block of code which only runs when it is called.
• aka: modules, methods, procedures, subroutine, or
subprograms)
int main() {
Statement;
function1(); // call the function
Statement;
function2(); // call the function
.
.
.
}

void function1() {
Statement;
}

void function2() {
Statement;
}
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The Use of Functions
• A piece of program to complete a specific task that can be used
several times by being called.

• Programs can be quite large; we need to break them down into

smaller functions

• Functions call other functions to complete specific tasks

• Avoiding repetition

• Functions' motivations?
• Divide and Conquer: Divide the problem into smaller pieces,
you conquer the complexity of the problem.
• Reusability: Can be used in more than one place in a program
or in different programs
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Functions types

I. Predefined Functions:
• C++ Standard Library (cout and cin)

II. User-Defined Functions:

1- Void functions (nonvalue-returning):
o no return type
o do not return a value
2- Value-returning functions:
o have a data type
o return only one value to caller

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Introduction to Functions

• How many numbers are divisible by 3 between 10 and 20,

between 35 and 50, and between 60 and 80?

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Introduction to Functions (cont.)

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Introduction to Functions (cont.)

Three
similar
loops

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Predefined Functions:
Example: Math Library Functions

• C++ has many libraries which are predefined that you can
simply use them

• The math library has tens of math functions that you can call
• You need to include the header file <cmath>
• E.g. sqrt, ceil, etc.

• You call a function by specifying its name, and the list of

parameters (arguments) it takes
• E.g. sqrt(4) will return the square root of 4

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 Math Library Functions
Method Description Example
ceil( x ) rounds x to the smallest integer ceil( 9.2 ) is 10.0
not less than x ceil( -9.8 ) is -9.0
cos( x ) trigonometric cosine of x cos( 0.0 ) is 1.0
(x in radians)
exp( x ) exponential function ex exp( 1.0 ) is 2.71828
exp( 2.0 ) is 7.38906
fabs( x ) absolute value of x fabs( 5.1 ) is 5.1
fabs( 0.0 ) is 0.0
fabs( -8.76 ) is 8.76
floor( x ) rounds x to the largest integer floor( 9.2 ) is 9.0
not greater than x floor( -9.8 ) is -10.0
fmod( x, y ) remainder of x/y as a floating- fmod( 13.657, 2.333 ) is 1.992
point number
log( x ) natural logarithm of x (base e) log( 2.718282 ) is 1.0
log( 7.389056 ) is 2.0
log10( x ) logarithm of x (base 10) log10( 10.0 ) is 1.0
log10( 100.0 ) is 2.0
pow( x, y ) x raised to power y (xy) pow( 2, 7 ) is 128
pow( 9, .5 ) is 3
sin( x ) trigonometric sine of x sin( 0.0 ) is 0
(x in radians)
sqrt( x ) square root of x sqrt( 900.0 ) is 30.0
sqrt( 9.0 ) is 3.0
tan( x ) trigonometric tangent of x tan( 0.0 ) is 0
(x in radians)
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Example: Math Library Functions

Header file

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User-Defined Functions
• You can create your own functions
• Format for function definition
return-value-type function-name (parameter-list)
{
declarations and statements
} Function body

• Parameter list
• Comma separated list of parameters
• Data type needed for each parameter
• If no parameters, use void or leave blank

• Return-value-type
• Data type of result returned (use void if nothing returned)

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Function Definitions
• Example:
Define a function Call a function
Function signature

int square( int y ) square( x );

{ Parameters list Actual parameters
or arguments
return y * y;
}

• return keyword
• Returns data, and control goes to function’s caller
• If no data to return, use return;
• Function ends when reaches right brace
• Control goes to the caller

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Function Definitions (cont.)

• A Function may return a value or not.

• The return value type is the data type of the value the
function returns.
• If the function does not return a value, the return value type
is the keyword void.

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Call a Function

Function definition

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Call a Function (cont.)

Calling/invoking a Function

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void Functions

• A void function does not return a any value.

Example: write a program to find whether a number is prime

or not in c++.

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void Functions

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Function Prototypes
• The function must be declared first before it can be called.
• One way to ensure it is to place the declaration before all
function calls.
• Another way to approach it is to declare a function
prototype before the function is called.
• A function prototype tells compiler argument type and
return type of function.

• Example:
int square(int);
• Function takes an int and returns an int
• Prototype appears before main()

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Function Prototypes (cont.)
• Function prototype contains
• Return type (void if returns nothing)
• Function name
• Parameters (number and data type)
• Only needed if function definition after function call

• Prototype must match function definition

• Function prototype
double maximum( double, double, double );
• Definition
double maximum( double x, double y, double z )
{
…
}
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Function Prototypes (cont.)

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Example: Min function

The second Function min takes 3 arguments (all int) and returns int value.

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Example: Min function (cont.)

Algorithm 1

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Example: Min function (cont.)

Algorithm 2

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Default Arguments

• You can define default values for parameters in a

function.
• The default values are passed to the parameters when
a function is invoked without the arguments.
Set default values in the
prototype.

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Default Arguments (cont.)

• Function call with omitted parameters

• If not enough parameters, rightmost go to their defaults

• Set defaults in function prototype

int myFunction( int x = 1, int y = 2, int z = 3 );
• myFunction(3)
• x = 3, y and z get defaults (rightmost)
• myFunction(3, 5)
• x = 3, y = 5 and z gets default

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Parameter Passing
• Call by value/ Pass by value
• Copy of data passed to the function
• Changes to the copy do not change the original,
regardless of the changes made to the parameter
inside the function.
• Prevent unwanted side effects

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Parameter Passing (cont.)

• Call by reference/ Pass by reference

• Function can directly access data
• Changes affect original variables using during the call
• Use & after data type in prototype
• void myFunction( int & )
• Read “data is a reference to an int”

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Call by reference

X 10

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Call by reference

X 10
y

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Call by reference

X 5
y

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Call by reference

X 5
y

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Reference Variables

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Reference Variables

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Practice
Choose the correct answer for the following questions. Be
sure to select all correct choices.
1- What is the correct prototype?

a) int square(x);
b) int square(int x);
c) int square(int);
d) int int square(int &x);

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Practice (cont.)
2- Select the correct result?

a) Hello Adam
Hello Adam
b) Hello Adam
Hello Tom
c) Hello Tom
Hello Tom
b) Error

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Practice (cont.)
3- The result is ?

a) 1020
b) 2020
c) 1010
b) 2010

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Practice (cont.)
• Write a C++ program that simulates a calculator. You
can assume that your calculator accepts the following
functions:
• Addition, Subtraction, Division, Multiplication

• Create a function for each operations

• Test your program with the following data

a b operation
15 20 *
40 34 +
Etc.

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Future sessions
• Functions are continued
• Function scopes
• Recursive functions

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