For what we use functions

Question

about functions

Answer 1

Functions map (convert) inputs to new outputs. An example function call: "TimesTwo"

print( TimesTwo(3) ) --> outputs 6
print( TimesTwo(14) ) --> outputs 28

Output is often deterministic: This means the same inputs always produce the same outputs (though they might be relative instead of absolute).

Functions can also do other tasks; not everything has to return a value (work) that way. For example, a function could move a motor "ahead 5 steps" regardless of position, then turn on a light.

Instead of coding a long set of explicit instructions for motor control, you could just call functions (move forward 10, left 5, up 7). Each function calls a hidden motor control function, and you don't need to know how that works.

Not "needing to know" is a benefit of "abstraction" (the details aren't important to you, but the work is).

With enough 'abstractions'...you could say you have reusable code.

Answer 2

To reuse the same block of code in multiple places