16.15: Glossary
- Page ID
- 16910
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- 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 executes.
- 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 executes a function. It consists of the function name followed by an argument list.
- 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 doesn’t return a value.
- 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 in which statements are executed during a program run.
- 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.