3.13: Glossary

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    From LibreTexts, under CC BY-NC 3.0, as the source states it; its equations are written in TeX, which the PDF shows typeset. This page at LibreTexts.

    function:
    A named sequence of statements that performs some useful operation. Functions may or may not take arguments and may or may not produce a result.
    function definition:
    A statement that creates a new function, specifying its name, parameters, and the statements it contains.
    function object:
    A value created by a function definition. The name of the function is a variable that refers to a function object.
    header:
    The first line of a function definition.
    body:
    The sequence of statements inside a function definition.
    parameter:
    A name used inside a function to refer to the value passed as an argument.
    function call:
    A statement that runs a function. It consists of the function name followed by an argument list in parentheses.
    argument:
    A value provided to a function when the function is called. This value is assigned to the corresponding parameter in the function.
    local variable:
    A variable defined inside a function. A local variable can only be used inside its function.
    return value:
    The result of a function. If a function call is used as an expression, the return value is the value of the expression.
    fruitful function:
    A function that returns a value.
    void function:
    A function that always returns None.
    None:
    A special value returned by void functions.
    module:
    A file that contains a collection of related functions and other definitions.
    import statement:
    A statement that reads a module file and creates a module object.
    module object:
    A value created by an import statement that provides access to the values defined in a module.
    dot notation:
    The syntax for calling a function in another module by specifying the module name followed by a dot (period) and the function name.
    composition:
    Using an expression as part of a larger expression, or a statement as part of a larger statement.
    flow of execution:
    The order statements run in.
    stack diagram:
    A graphical representation of a stack of functions, their variables, and the values they refer to.
    frame:
    A box in a stack diagram that represents a function call. It contains the local variables and parameters of the function.
    traceback:
    A list of the functions that are executing, printed when an exception occurs.

    This page titled 3.13: Glossary was last modified on Sat, 02 Apr 2022 22:01:35 GMT and is shared under a CC BY-NC 3.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Allen B. Downey (Green Tea Press) via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.