CSC 203

Computer Programming I
Course Outline

• Understand C Language Overview and Program

Structure, and Data types.
• Fundamentals of C Operators and Escape
Sequence
• Decision making in C
• Program Loops in C
• Uses of Functions in C
• Understand Storage Classes and Scope
• Understand Pointers and Use Pointers Effectively
• Create Structures, Unions and Data Storage
C-Functions
 Functions in C
A function is a group of statements that together perform a
task.

A function is a collection of statement that will perform a

particular task.

A function can also be referred as a method or a sub-

routine or a procedure, etc.

Every C program has at least one function, which

is main().
 Functions in C
Uses of C functions:
•C functions are used to avoid rewriting same logic/code
again and again in a program.
•There is no limit in calling C functions to make use of same
functionality wherever required.
•We can call functions any number of times in a program
and from any place in a program.
•A large C program can easily be tracked when it is divided
into functions.
•The core concept of C functions are, re-usability, dividing a
big task into small pieces to achieve the functionality and to
improve understandability of very large C programs.
 Functions in C

A function definition in C programming consists of

a function header and a function body.

return_type function_name( parameter list )

{
body of the function
}
 Functions in C

Return Type − is the data type of the value the function

returns.
A function may return a value.
Some functions perform the desired operations
without returning a value. In this case, the return_type
is the keyword void.

Function Name − This is the actual name of the function.

The function name and the parameter list together
constitute the function signature.
 Functions in C

Parameters − A parameter is like a placeholder.

When a function is invoked, you pass a value to the parameter. This

value is referred to as actual parameter or argument.

The parameter list refers to the type, order, and number of the
parameters of a function.

Parameters are optional; that is, a function may contain no parameters.

Function Body − The function body contains a collection of statements

that define what the function does.
 Functions in C
Example 1:
/* function returning the max between two numbers */
1. #include<stdio.h>
2. int max(int num1, int num2)
3. { /* local variable declaration */
4. int result;
5. if (num1 > num2)
6. result = num1;
7. Else
8. result = num2;
9. return result;
10. }
 Functions in C

Example 1 shows the source code for a function

called max().

This function takes two parameters:

num1 and num2 and
returns the maximum value between the two .
A function declaration or prototype: tells the compiler
about a function's name, return type, and parameters.
or
A function declaration tells the compiler about a function
name and how to call the function. The actual body of the
function can be defined separately.
return_type function_name( parameter list );

From Example 1:
int max(int num1, int num2); or
int max(int, int);
 Calling a Function

While creating a C function, you give a definition of

what the function has to do.
To use a function, you will have to call that function to
perform the defined task.
• A called function performs a defined task and when
its return statement is executed or when its function-
ending closing brace is reached, it returns the
program control back to the main program.
• To call a function, you simply need to pass the
required parameters along with the function name,
and if the function returns a value, then you can store
the returned value.
 Example 2: Calling a Function in C
1. #include <stdio.h> /* function declaration */
2. int max(int num1, int num2);
3. int main () { /* local variable definition */
4. int a = 100;
5. int b = 200;
6. int ret; /* calling a function to get max value */
7. ret = max(a, b);
8. printf( "Max value is : %d\n", ret );
9. return 0;
10.} /* function returning the max between two numbers */
11.int max(int num1, int num2) { /* local variable declaration */
12. int result;
13. if (num1 > num2)
14. result = num1;
15. else
16. result = num2;
17. return result;
18.}
 C function declaration, function call and
function definition:
C functions aspects syntax

Return_type function_name (arguments list)

function definition
{ Body of function; }

function call function_name (arguments list);

function declaration return_type function_name (argument list);

 Example 3 program for C function
1. #include<stdio.h>
2. // function prototype, also called function declaration
3. float square ( float x );
4. // main function, program starts from here
5. int main( )
6. {
7. float m, n ;
8. printf ( "\nEnter some number for finding square \n");
9. scanf ( "%f", &m ) ;
10. // function call
11. n = square ( m ) ;
12. printf ( "\nSquare of the given number %f is %f",m,n );
13. }
14. float square ( float x ) // function definition Output:
15. { Enter some number for finding square
16. float p ; 2
17. p = x * x ; Square of the given number 2.000000 is 4.000000
18. return ( p ) ;
19. }
 Explanation: Example 3 program
• In the example program, function “square” is called from
main function.
• The value of “m” is passed as argument to the function
“square”.
• This value is multiplied by itself in this function and
multiplied value “p” is returned to main function from
function “square”.
If a function is to use arguments, it must declare variables that accept the values of the
arguments.

These variables are called the formal parameters of the function.

• Formal parameters behave like other local variables inside the function and are
created upon entry into the function and destroyed upon exit.

While calling a function, there are two ways in which arguments can be passed to a
function :

• Calling by Value: This method copies the actual value of an argument into the formal
parameter of the function.
• Calling by Reference: This method copies the address of an argument into the formal
parameter.

By default, C uses call by value to pass arguments.

Function Argument: Call By Value

Call by value:
• In call by value method, the value of the variable is passed to the
function as parameter.
• The value of the actual parameter can not be modified by formal
parameter.
• Different Memory is allocated for both actual and formal
parameters. Because, value of actual parameter is copied to
formal parameter.
Note:
• Actual parameter – This is the argument which is used in function
call.
• Formal parameter – This is the argument which is used in function
definition
 Example 4 program for C function (using call by value)
1. #include<stdio.h>
2. // function prototype, also called function declaration
3. void swap(int a, int b);
4. int main()
5. {
6. int m = 22, n = 44;
7. // calling swap function by value
8. printf(" values before swap m = %d \nand n = %d", m, n);
9. swap(m, n);
Output:
10. }
11.
12. void swap(int a, int b)
13. {
14. int tmp;
15. tmp = a;
16. a = b;
17. b = tmp;
18. printf(" \nvalues after swap m = %d\n and n = %d", a, b);
19. }
Explanation: Example 4 program

In this program, the values of the variables

“m” and “n” are passed to the function
“swap”.

These values are copied to formal

parameters “a” and “b” in swap function and
used.
 Call by reference:
In call by reference method, the address of the variable is
passed to the function as parameter.
• The value of the actual parameter can be modified by
formal parameter.
• Same memory is used for both actual and formal
parameters since only address is used by both
parameters.
 Example 5 program for C function (using call by reference)
1. #include<stdio.h>
2. // function prototype, also called function declaration
3. void swap(int *a, int *b);
4. int main()
5. {
6. int m = 22, n = 44;
7. // calling swap function by reference
8. printf("values before swap m = %d \n and n = %d",m,n);
9. swap(&m, &n);
10. } Output:
11. void swap(int *a, int *b)
12. {
13. int tmp;
14. tmp = *a;
15. *a = *b;
16. *b = tmp;
17. printf("\n values after swap a = %d \nand b = %d", *a, *b);
18. }
Explanation: Example 5 program

• In this program, the address of the variables “m” and “n”

are passed to the function “swap”.

• These values are not copied to formal parameters “a” and

“b” in swap function.

• Because, they are just holding the address of those

variables.

• This address is used to access and change the values of

the variables.
 Function Library
• A function library is a collection functions that share a
common area of interest (e.g. Math, Time functions in
Arduino C).

• Many vendors have added new libraries to support

products and add-ons they sell for Arduino family.

• You can create your own functions library in C

language.
 Function Signature and Function Prototype
Int LeapYear(int year) // Function Signature

Int LeapYear(int year);

// Function Prototype (note semicolon at the

end!)
 Function Body

int VolumeOfCube(int width, int length, int height)

{
int volume;
volume = width*length*height;
return volume;
}

• NB: The function body begins with the opening brace

({) and follows the closing parenthesis of the argument
list and extends to the closing to the closing brace (}).
It starts where the function signature ends.
 Overloaded Function
When a function shares a common name, but has
two or more different signatures, it is called an
overloaded function.
In most cases it is the argument list that differs
across signatures

This is a C++ concept. Technically C Programming

does not allow overloading. But since Arduino uses
C++ compiler, it allows it.
Revision Exercises

1.What is a function?
2. What are the two principal components of a
function?
3.What is a function signature?
4.What does function overloading mean?
5.What is a function type specifier?
6.What is the purpose of a return statement and can a
function return more than one value?
7.Name 3 things you should strive for when writing
your own functions?
Thank you all for
listening…