Chapter 6:
Functions
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6.1
Modular Programming
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Modular Programming
• Modular programming: breaking a program up
into smaller, manageable functions or modules
• Function: a collection of statements to perform a
task
• Motivation for modular programming:
– Improves maintainability of programs
– Simplifies the process of writing programs
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6.2
Defining and Calling Functions
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Defining and Calling Functions
• Function call: statement causes a function
to execute
• Function definition: statements that make
up a function
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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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Calling a Function
• To call a function, use the function name
followed by () and ;
printHeading();
• When called, program executes the body of the
called function
• After the function terminates, execution resumes
in the calling function at point of call.
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Functions in Program 6-1
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Flow of Control in Program 6-1
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6.3
Function Prototypes
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Function Prototypes
• Ways to notify the compiler about a function
before a call to the function:
– Place function definition before calling function’s
definition
– Use a function prototype (function declaration) – like
the function definition without the body
• Header: void printHeading()
• Prototype: void printHeading();
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(Program Continues)
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Program 6-5 (Continued)
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Prototype Notes
• Place prototypes near top of program
• Program must include either prototype or full
function definition before any call to the
function – compiler error otherwise
• When using prototypes, can place function
definitions in any order in source file
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6.4
Sending Data into a Function
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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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(Program Continues)
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The function call in line 11 passes the value 5
as an argument to the function.
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Other Parameter Terminology
• A parameter can also be called a formal
parameter or a formal argument
• An argument can also be called an actual
parameter or an actual argument
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Parameters, Prototypes, and
Function Headers
• For each function argument,
– the prototype must include the data type of
each parameter inside its parentheses
– the header must include a declaration for
each parameter in its ()
void evenOrOdd(int); //prototype
void evenOrOdd(int num) //header
evenOrOdd(val); //call
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Function Call Notes
• Value of argument is copied into parameter when
the function is called
• A parameter’s scope is the function which uses it
• Function can have multiple parameters
• There must be a data type listed in the prototype
() and an argument declaration in the function
header () for each parameter
• Arguments will be promoted/demoted as
necessary to match parameters
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Passing Multiple Arguments
When calling a function and passing
multiple arguments:
– the number of arguments in the call must
match the prototype and definition
– the first argument will be used to initialize the
first parameter, the second argument to
initialize the second parameter, etc.
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(Program Continues)
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Program 6-8 (Continued)
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The function call in line 18 passes value1,
value2, and value3 as a arguments to the
function.
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6.5
Passing Data by Value
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Passing Data by Value
• Pass by value: when an argument is
passed to a function, its value is copied
into the parameter.
• Changes to the parameter in the function
do not affect the value of the argument
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Passing Information to
Parameters by Value
• Example: int val=5;
evenOrOdd(val);
val num
5 5
argument in parameter in
calling function evenOrOdd function
• evenOrOdd can change variable num, but
it will have no effect on variable val
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6.7
The return Statement
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The return Statement
• Used to end execution of a function
• Can be placed anywhere in a function
– Statements that follow the return statement
will not be executed
• Can be used to prevent abnormal
termination of program
• In a void function without a return
statement, the function ends at its last }
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(Program Continues)
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Program 6-11(Continued)
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6.8
Returning a Value From a
Function
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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;
}
Value Being Returned
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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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(Program Continues)
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Program 6-12 (Continued)
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The statement in line 17 calls the sum function,
passing value1 and value2 as arguments.
The return value is assigned to the total variable.
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Returning a Value From a
Function
• The prototype and the definition must
indicate the data type of return value
(not void)
• Calling function should use return value:
– assign it to a variable
– send it to cout
– use it in an expression
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Local and Global Variables
• Variables defined inside a function are local to
that function. They are hidden from the
statements in other functions, which normally
cannot access them.
• Because the variables defined in a function are
hidden, other functions may have separate,
distinct variables with the same name.
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Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc.
Local Variable Lifetime
• A function’s local variables exist only while the
function is executing. This is known as the lifetime
of a local variable.
• When the function begins, its local variables and its
parameter variables are created in memory, and
when the function ends, the local variables and
parameter variables are destroyed.
• This means that any value stored in a local variable
is lost between calls to the function in which the
variable is declared.
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Global Variables and
Global Constants
• A global variable is any variable defined outside
all the functions in a program.
• The scope of a global variable is the portion of
the program from the variable definition to the
end.
• This means that a global variable can be
accessed by all functions that are defined after
the global variable is defined.
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6.13
Using Reference Variables as
Parameters
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Using Reference Variables as
Parameters
• A mechanism that allows a function to
work with the original argument from the
function call, not a copy of the argument
• Allows the function to modify values
stored in the calling environment
• Provides a way for the function to ‘return’
more than one value
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Passing by Reference
• A reference variable is an alias for another
variable
• Defined with an ampersand (&)
void getDimensions(int&, int&);
• Changes to a reference variable are made
to the variable it refers to
• Use reference variables to implement
passing parameters by reference
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The & here in the prototype indicates that the
parameter is a reference variable.
Here we are passing value by
reference.
(Program Continues)
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Program 6-25 (Continued)
The & also appears here in the function header.
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