Question

What is the purpose of the return statement in a function?

Short answer

Answer: The purpose of the return statement in a function is to send a value or a set of values back to the point where the function was called. It ends the function's execution immediately and passes the specified value(s) to the calling code. Functions can return any data type, and the return statement can be used in combination with calculations or conditional statements to return different values based on specific conditions.

Step-by-step solution

Definition of a Function

A function is a block of reusable code that is used to perform a specific action or task. Functions can receive input parameters and can return a value or a set of values after executing the code.

The Purpose of the Return Statement

The purpose of the return statement in a function is to send a value or a set of values back to the point where the function was called. When a return statement is executed, it ends the function's execution immediately and passes the specified value(s) to the calling code.

Using Return Statement in Functions

When you write a function, you can use the return statement to specify what value(s) you want to send back. You can return any data type, like integers, strings, lists, or even custom objects, depending on the programming language. The return statement can be used in combination with calculations or conditional statements to return different values based on specific conditions.

Example of a Return Statement

Here is an example of a function using a return statement in Python: ```python def add(a, b): result = a + b return result addition_result = add(3, 5) print(addition_result) # Output: 8 ``` In this example, the function 'add' takes two parameters (a, b), calculates their sum, and returns the result. The return statement is used to send the value of 'result' back to the calling code. The value returned by the function is stored in the variable 'addition_result', which is then printed. Keep practicing with more examples to get a better grasp of how return statements work in functions and their importance in programming.