Question

The following statement calls a function named half. The half function returns a value that is half that of the argument. Write the function.

Short answer

Answer: The purpose of the "half" function is to receive a number as input and return the value of that number divided by 2. It is constructed by defining the function with an input parameter 'number', calculating half of the input number by dividing it by 2, and finally returning the result. The full code for the 'half' function looks like this: ```python def half(number): result = number / 2 return result ```

Step-by-step solution

Define the function

First, we need to define the function with the name "half". To do this, write the function definition line with the function name followed by the input parameter in parentheses. In our case, since the function only takes a single input argument, we will name the parameter 'number'. To define the function, use the following code: ```python def half(number): ```

Calculate half of the input number

Inside the function, we need to calculate the value that is half of the input number. To do this, simply divide the input number by 2. The result can be stored in a new variable called 'result'. Write the following code inside the function: ```python result = number / 2 ```

Return the result

Now that we have calculated half of the input number, it's time to return this value so that it can be used by the calling statement. To return the value of 'result', use the return keyword followed by the variable name. Include this code inside the function: ```python return result ```

Full code for the 'half' function

After completing the steps above, the code for the entire function should look like this: ```python def half(number): result = number / 2 return result ``` With this function, when it is called with a number as an argument, it will return half of that number.