Question

Write a function template that is capable of adding any two numeric values and returning the result.

Short answer

Answer: Function templates in C++ allow us to create generic functions that can handle multiple data types at the same time, without having to explicitly define separate functions for each data type. To create a template for adding any two numeric values, we need to define a type placeholder (such as 'T') using the "typename" or "class" keyword and use this placeholder in the function signature. The function body should perform the addition operation and return the result, like so: ```cpp template T add(T num1, T num2) { T result = num1 + num2; return result; } ``` This template can now be used to add any two numeric values, such as integers, floats, and doubles.

Step-by-step solution

Understand Function Templates

Function templates are a way to create generic functions that can handle multiple data types at the same time. This is achieved by defining a template with a type placeholder, usually denoted with the keyword "typename" or "class". This placeholder can then be used in place of the specific data types for the function inputs and output.

Create the Function Template

In order to create a template that works with any two numeric values, we need to define type placeholders and use them in the function signature. For this example, we'll use "T" as the placeholder representing any numeric type. The function's name will be "add". ```cpp template T add(T num1, T num2) { // Function body will be defined here } ```

Implement the Function Body

Inside the function body, we want to perform the addition operation and return the result. Since the type placeholder "T" is representing any numeric type, we can simply use the "+" operator for addition. ```cpp template T add(T num1, T num2) { T result = num1 + num2; return result; } ```

Test the Function Template

To check if the function template works correctly, we can try to call it with different numeric types, such as integers, floats, and doubles. Remember to include the necessary headers and the "main" function. ```cpp #include template T add(T num1, T num2) { T result = num1 + num2; return result; } int main() { int int1 = 5, int2 = 7; float float1 = 3.5f, float2 = 1.5f; double double1 = 2.25, double2 = 4.75; std::cout << "Adding two integers: " << add(int1, int2) << std::endl; std::cout << "Adding two floats: " << add(float1, float2) << std::endl; std::cout << "Adding two doubles: " << add(double1, double2) << std::endl; return 0; } ``` This should output the following: ``` Adding two integers: 12 Adding two floats: 5 Adding two doubles: 7 ```