Chapter 6 - User-Defined Functions

modules

another name for a function

parameters

an identifier in a function header which acts within the function as a regular local variable; a parameter may be formal or actual

function header

includes the name of the function the number of parameters if any the data type of each parameter and the data type of the value returned by the function

body

the code within the function required to accomplish the task

definition

includes the name of the function a listing of the parameters if any the data type of each parameter the data type of the value returned by the function and the code required to accomplish the task

formal parameter

a variable declared in the function heading

actual parameters

a variable or expression listed in a call to a function

data type

the return type of a value-returning function

return type

the data type of the value that the function returns; also called the data type of a function

local declaration

a declaration of a variable within a block of code for use only within that block

function prototypes

a function heading without the body of the function

value parameters

A formal parameter that receives a copy of the content of the corresponding actual parameter

reference parameters

A formal parameter that receives the location (memory address) of the corresponding actual parameter

local variables

variables declared in the body of a function (or block) for use only within that function (or block)

scope

refers to where an identifier is accessible (visible) in a program

local identifiers

an identifier declared within a function (or block)

nested block

a block declared within another block

external variable

a global variable declared within a function using the extern reserved word; the keyword extern indicates that the variable is declared elsewhere

automatic variable

a variable for which memory is allocated at block entry and deallocated at block exit

driver

a program that tests a function

function overloading

creating several functions with the same name but different formal parameter lists

different formal parameter lists

when two or more functions with the same name have a different number of formal parameters or if they have the same number of parameters the data type of the parameters differs in at least one positio