Question

\(A(n)\)___________ variable is defined inside a function and is not accessible outside the function.

Short answer

Answer: A local variable.

Step-by-step solution

Identifying the Type of Variable

The type of variable being described is a "local" variable. Local variables are defined within a function and are not accessible outside that function.

Explaining Why Local Variables Are Not Accessible Outside the Function

Local variables have a limited scope, which means their memory allocation and lifetime are restricted to the function in which they are declared. Once the function has completed execution, the memory allocated to the local variable is released and cannot be accessed.

Comparing Local Variables to Global Variables

In contrast, global variables are declared outside any function and can be accessed by any part of the code. This means that a global variable's scope is the entire program, unlike local variables, which are confined to their specific function.

Providing an Example

Let's consider an example in Python: ```python def example_function(): local_variable = 5 # local variable inside example_function() print(local_variable) example_function() print(local_variable) # This line will produce an error because local_variable is not accessible outside the function. ``` In this example, attempting to print 'local_variable' outside of the 'example_function()' will result in an error because it is a local variable and not accessible outside the function in which it was declared.