LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Structuring programs
Abstraction, decomposition, reuse
Functions
return keyword
Scopes

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 MOTIVATION

What we know so far?

◦ Numbers, booleans, strings, assignments,
◦ input/output,
◦ comparisons, conditionals,
◦ and loops

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 MOTIVATION

What about the code organisation?

◦ Each computation is a file
◦ File is a piece of code
◦ Code is a single sequence of instructions, all merged
together
Is it a good idea?

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 MOTIVATION

OK for small-scale problems

Messy for larger problems
Becomes progressively harder to keep track of
details as your code grows in size

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 GOOD PROGRAMMING

More code not necessarily a good thing

Measure good programmers by the amount of
functionality
Introduce functions
Mechanism to achieve abstraction,
decomposition and reuse

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 You likely watch TV and use a remote to change the channel. I
necessary to build a TV and a remote, would you know how to
Probably not. But if I assembled the TV and the remote for you,
use the two to achieve a task such as changing the channel? Pr
EXAMPLE: TV REMOTE you know the inputs of each item, what each item is supposed
item outputs. Figure 20.3 and table 20.1 show inputs, behavior
cess of using a remote with a TV.

TV remote is a black box Remote Push button

Generates
a wireless Wireless signal
signal

Don't know how it works

See or hear
Image on
Know the interface: input/output
TV Wireless signal
TV changes
something
different
Figu
view

Can control any compatible TV set

Black box somehow generates a signal based on
the button pressed
ABSTRACTION: do not need to know how TV
remote works to use it!

Licensed to Gregory Chockler <[email protected]>

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 Modularity is the division of a big program into smaller tasks. You write code for each
task separately, independent of other tasks. In general, each code module is supposed to
stand on its own. You should be able to quickly test whether the code that you wrote for

EXAMPLE: TV REMOTE/TV SET

this module works. Dividing a larger task in this way makes the larger problem seem
easier and will reduce the time it takes you to debug.

20.2.2 Abstracting code

Task:necessary
changing TV channels decomposed into
You likely watch TV and use a remote to change the channel. If I gave you all the parts
to build a TV and a remote, would you know how to put them together?
◦ Generate a But
Probably not. wireless signal
if I assembled the TVbased on the
and the remote button
for you, pressed
would you know howon to

theuseremote
the two to achieve a task such as changing the channel? Probably. This is because
(TV remote)
you know the inputs of each item, what each item is supposed to do, and what each
◦ Accept a wireless
item outputs. Figure 20.3signal
and tablefrom the
20.1 show remote
inputs, and
behavior, and change the
output for the pro-

channel (TV set)

cess of using a remote with a TV.

Generates
Remote Push button a wireless Wireless signal
signal

See or hear
Image on
TV Wireless signal
TV changes
something Figure 20.3 Black box
different view of a remote and a TV

DECOMPOSITION: different devices work together to

solve a complex task

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 EXAMPLE: TV REMOTE

No need to use separate remotes to switch to

different channels
Reuse: use different inputs to produce different
outputs

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APPLY THESE CONCEPTS

TO PROGRAMMING!

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 CREATE STRUCTURE with
DECOMPOSITION
Divide code into modules
◦ are self-contained
◦ used to break up code
◦ intended to be reusable
◦ keep code organised
◦ keep code coherent
This lecture: decomposition with functions
Later on: decomposition with classes

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 SUPPRESS DETAILS with
ABSTRACTION
Think of a piece of code as a black box
◦ cannot see details
◦ do not need to see details
◦ do not want to see details
◦ hide tedious coding details
Achieve abstraction with function specifications
or docstrings

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 BEWARE OF LEAKY
ABSTRACTIONS

Avoid prematurely abstracting code

It is OK to have the occasional repetition of code
(judgement call)
It should be easy to reason about the code
◦ as much relevant information as possible should be
visible on sight
But, “All non-trivial abstractions, to some degree,
are leaky.” Joel Spolsky

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 Moodle quiz
‘Decomposition and
Abstraction’

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 FUNCTIONS

Write reusable pieces/chunks of code, called

functions
Functions are not run in a program until they are
“called” or “invoked” in a program
Function properties:
◦ has a name
◦ has parameters (0 or more)
◦ has a docstring (optional but recommended)
◦ has a body
◦ returns something

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 HOW TO WRITE AND CALL/
INVOKE A FUNCTION
keyword name formal parameters or arguments
Speci cation,
def is_even( i ): docstring

"""
Indentation Input: i, a positive int

Returns True if i is even, otherwise False

"""

print('inside is_even')
Body
return i%2 == 0

is_even(3) Later in the code, call function using the name and
actual (concrete) parameters
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fi
IN THE FUNCTION BODY

def is_even( i ):

"""

Input: i, a positive int

Returns True if i is even, otherwise False

"""

print('inside is_even') Run some commands

return i%2 == 0
Expression to
keyword evaluate and return

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 VARIABLE SCOPE
Formal parameters gets bound to the value of
actual parameters when function is called
New scope/frame/environment created when
enter a function
Scope is mapping of names to objects
formal parameter
def f(x):
function
x = x + 1
de nition global/
print('in f(x): x =', x) main
return x scope
main
x = 3 actual parameter program
z = f(x) code

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fi
VARIABLE SCOPE

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VARIABLE SCOPE

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VARIABLE SCOPE

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VARIABLE SCOPE

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VARIABLE SCOPE

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VARIABLE SCOPE

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VARIABLE SCOPE

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VARIABLE SCOPE

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VARIABLE SCOPE

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Moodle quiz
‘functions’

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 NO RETURN STATEMENT
def is_even( i ):

"""

Input: i, a positive int

Does not return anything

"""

i%2 == 0

Python returns the value None, if no return given

Represents the absence of a value

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FUNCTIONS AS PARAMETERS
(ARGUMENTS)
def func_a():
print('inside func_a')

def func_b(y):
print('inside func_b')
return y

def func_c(z):
print('inside func_c')
return z()

print(func_a())
print(5+func_b(2))
print(func_c(func_a))
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FUNCTIONS AS ARGUMENTS
def func_a():
print('inside func_a')

def func_b(y):
print('inside func_b')
return y

def func_c(z):
print('inside func_c')
return z()

print(func_a())
print(5+func_b(2))
print(func_c(func_a))
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FUNCTIONS AS ARGUMENTS
def func_a():
print('inside func_a')

def func_b(y):
print('inside func_b')
return y

def func_c(z):
print('inside func_c')
return z()

print(func_a())
print(5+func_b(2))
print(func_c(func_a))
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FUNCTIONS AS ARGUMENTS
def func_a():
print('inside func_a')

def func_b(y):
print('inside func_b')
return y

def func_c(z):
print('inside func_c')
return z()

print(func_a())
print(5+func_b(2))
print(func_c(func_a))
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FUNCTIONS AS ARGUMENTS
def func_a():
print('inside func_a')

def func_b(y):
print('inside func_b')
return y

def func_c(z):
print('inside func_c')
return z()

print(func_a())
print(5+func_b(2))
print(func_c(func_a))
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FUNCTIONS AS ARGUMENTS
def func_a():
print('inside func_a')

def func_b(y):
print('inside func_b')
return y

def func_c(z):
print('inside func_c')
return z()

print(func_a())
print(5+func_b(2))
print(func_c(func_a))
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 VARIABLE VISIBILITY

Inside a function, can access variable defined

outside. “Shadowing” variable/name.
Inside a function, cannot modify a variable
defined outside, unless it is marked as global

def f(y): def g(y): def h(y):

x = 1 print(x) x += 1
x += 1 print(x+1) x = 5
print(x) x = 5 h(x)
x = 5 g(x) print(x)
f(x) print(x)
print(x)
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 VARIABLE VISIBILITY

Variables defined outside must be explicitly

designated as global before they can be modified
inside a function
May not be a good idea: breaks functional
abstraction. Avoid.
def h(y):
keyword global x
x += 1
x = 5
h(x)
print(x)

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 VARIABLE SCOPE

Important and tricky subject

Practice on your own

Python Tutor is your best friend to sort out

tricky cases

http://www.pythontutor.com

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 Moodle quiz
‘functions as parameters’

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 NESTED SCOPES
COPE DETAILS
x): Global scope
def g(x):
f h(): g
def h(): Some
x = 'abc' code
x = 'abc'
= x + 1
x = x + 1
int('g: x =', x) x 3
print('in g(x): x =', x)
)
h()
turn x
return x z

x = 3
x)z = g(x)

6.0001 LECTURE 4 39 28
 NESTED SCOPES
COPE DETAILS
SCOPE DETAILS
x):
def g(x): Global scope g scope
def g(x):
f h():def h(): g x
def h(): Some
x = 'abc' 3
x = 'abc' code
x = 'abc'
= x +x 1= x + 1
x = x + 1 Some
int('g: x =', x)
print('g: x =', x) x 3 h
print('in g(x): x =', x) code
) h()
h()
turn return
x x
return x z

x = 3
x = 3
zz ==
x) g(x)
g(x)

6.0001 LECTURE 4 6.0001 40

LECTURE 4 28 29
 NESTED SCOPES
COPE DETAILS
SCOPE DETAILS
x):
def g(x): Global scope g scope
def g(x):
f h():def h(): g x
def h(): Some
x = 'abc' 43
x = 'abc' code
x = 'abc'
= x +x 1= x + 1
x = x + 1 Some
int('g: x =', x)
print('g: x =', x) x 3 h
print('in g(x): x =', x) code
) h()
h()
turn return
x x
return x z

xx == 3
3
x)
zz == g(x)
g(x)

6.0001 LECTURE 4 6.000141

LECTURE 4 28 30
 NESTED SCOPES
SCOPE DETAILS
def g(x): Global scope g scope h scope
def g(x):
def h(): g x x
def h(): Some
3
4 “abc”
x = 'abc' code
x = 'abc'
x = x + 1
x = x + 1 Some
print('g: x =', x) x 3 h
print('in g(x): x =', x) code
h()
h()
return x
return x z
returns None
x = 3
x = 3
z = g(x)
z = g(x)

6.0001 LECTURE 4 31
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 NESTED SCOPES
SCOPE DETAILS
def g(x): Global scope g scope
def g(x):
def h(): g x
def h(): Some
4
x = 'abc' code
x = 'abc'
x = x + 1
x = x + 1 Some
print('g: x =', x) x 3 h
print('in g(x): x =', x) code
h()
h()
return x None
return x z

x = 3 returns 4
x = 3
z = g(x)
z = g(x)

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 NESTED SCOPES
SCOPE DETAILS
def g(x): Global scope
def g(x):
def h(): g
def h(): Some
x = 'abc' code
x = 'abc'
x = x + 1
x = x + 1
print('g: x =', x) x 3
print('in g(x): x =', x)
h()
h()
return x
return x z 4

x = 3
x = 3
z = g(x)
z = g(x)

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 DECOMPOSITION & ABSTRACTION

Powerful together
Code can be used many times, but only has to be
debugged once!
Example :-
len returns the length of the string

◦ s=‘abc’
◦ print(len(s))

print displays the value of the argument passed to it

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 Moodle quiz
‘Nested scopes’

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