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W3Schools
w3schools.com › python › python_functions.asp
Python Functions
Python Examples Python Compiler ... Python Bootcamp Python Certificate Python Training ... A function is a block of code which only runs when it is called....
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GeeksforGeeks
geeksforgeeks.org › python › python-functions
Python Functions - GeeksforGeeks
Python Functions are a block of statements that does a specific task. The idea is to put some commonly or repeatedly done task together and make a function so that instead of writing the same code again and again for different inputs, we can ...
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Programiz
programiz.com › python-programming › function
Python Functions (With Examples)
A function is a block of code that performs a specific task. In this tutorial, we will learn about the Python function and function expressions with the help of examples.
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Real Python
realpython.com › defining-your-own-python-function
Defining Your Own Python Function – Real Python
June 11, 2025 - Browse Topics Guided Learning Paths ... web-dev web-scraping ... A Python function is a named block of code that performs specific tasks and can be reused in other parts of your code....
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Stanford CS
cs.stanford.edu › people › nick › py › python-function.html
Python Functions
For today, it's sufficient that a function can take a parameter, and the parameter value is "passed in" as part of the call simply by including the desired value within the parenthesis. So for example to call the paint_window() function to paint the window blue might look like the this. ... The syntax 'blue' is a Python string, which is the way to express a bit of text like this.
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Learn Python
learnpython.org › en › Functions
Functions - Learn Python - Free Interactive Python Tutorial
You can save 25% off your Datacamp annual subscription with the code LEARNPYTHON23ALE25 - Click here to redeem your discount · Functions are a convenient way to divide your code into useful blocks, allowing us to order our code, make it more ...
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Tutorialspoint
tutorialspoint.com › python › python_functions.htm
Python - Functions
A Python function is a block of organized, reusable code that is used to perform a single, related action. Functions provide better modularity for your application and a high degree of code reusing.
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Built In
builtin.com › software-engineering-perspectives › what-is-a-function-in-python
What Is a Function in Python? | Built In
A function in Python is a named section of code that takes an input, performs a specific operation and returns an output. Here's how functions work in Python.
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DataCamp
datacamp.com › tutorial › functions-python-tutorial
Python Functions: How to Call & Write Functions | DataCamp
November 22, 2024 - You use functions in programming to bundle a set of instructions that you want to use repeatedly or that, because of their complexity, are better self-contained in a sub-program and called when needed. That means that a function is a piece of code written to carry out a specified task.
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Simplilearn
simplilearn.com › home › resources › software development › your ultimate python tutorial for beginners › functions in python | definition, types and examples
Learn Functions in Python: Definition, Types, and Examples
June 9, 2025 - Learn about functions in Python: how they run when called, pass parameters, and return data. This guide helps you understand essential Python function concepts.
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Python documentation
docs.python.org › 3 › library › functions.html
Built-in Functions — Python 3.14.3 documentation
3 weeks ago - The Python interpreter has a number of functions and types built into it that are always available. They are listed here in alphabetical order. ... Return the absolute value of a number. The argument may be an integer, a floating-point number, or an object implementing __abs__(). If the argument is ...
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PYnative
pynative.com › home › python › python functions
Python Functions [Complete Guide] – PYnative
January 26, 2025 - Python function is a block of code defined with a name. Learn to create and use the function in detail. Use function argument effectively.
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Medium
jessica-miles.medium.com › writing-functions-in-python-a-beginners-guide-ed9182db959b
Writing Functions in Python— A Beginner’s Guide | by Jessica Miles | Medium
November 1, 2021 - In this guide, I discuss the benefits ... through an example. In programming, a function is a block of reusable code designed to perform a specific task or set of related tasks....
Top answer
1 of 4
24

what is the purpose of having the arg1, arg2 in the parenthesis next to it?

In this case, arg1 and arg2 are called arguments. Arguments allow functions to receive inputs it's expected to use in order to perform a task. The inputs are provided by the callers.

For example, in school math, you may've already seen things like z = f(x, y) where a function named f is defined as f(x, y) = x + y. This is the same concept in a programming language.

It also allows you do write more generic, flexible, and reusable code. For example, you don't have to write many different versions of a function to accomplish the same task with slightly different results, avoiding situations like add2(x, y) = x + y and add3(x, y, z) = x + y + z, and so on. You can simply do something like:

def sum(values):  # values is of type 'list'
    result = 0
    for value in values:
        result += value
    return result

And call it like this:

total = sum([1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]) # a list of any length with numbers

Or like this:

total = sum([1, 2])

How many arguments a function needs will depend on what it needs to do and other factors.

Update

What confuses me is the print_two_again("Steve","testing") , what is this called and its purpose?

The line print_two_again("Steve","testing") is an invocation of the function (i.e. a function call). This causes the program to 'jump' into the body of the function named print_two_again and start executing the code in it.

The ("Steve","testing") part are the arguments being sent to the function as inputs. These are positional arguments, which basically means that they get "mapped" to the names arg1 and arg2 based on the order in which you've provided them when invoking the function.

For example, consider the function f(x, y) = x - y. If this function is called as z = f(3, 4) then the argument by the name of x will receive the value 3 and y will be 4, to return -1. If you reverse the arguments in the call, then you'd have x=4 and y=3 and it'd return 1 instead. The same is true of the arguments in the function you've provided.

This means that the order of the arguments in a function call is important.

The Python language, like many others, already has a set of built-in functionality. The function named print is an example of this. You can get a lot of information using the pydoc command (pydoc3 if you use Python3, which I'd recommend). For example, the command pydoc3 print produces the following documentation:

Help on built-in function print in module builtins:

print(...) print(value, ..., sep=' ', end='\n', file=sys.stdout, flush=False)

Prints the values to a stream, or to sys.stdout by default.
Optional keyword arguments:
file:  a file-like object (stream); defaults to the current sys.stdout.
sep:   string inserted between values, default a space.
end:   string appended after the last value, default a newline.
flush: whether to forcibly flush the stream.

Note that this is documentation for Python3. Python2 documentation will be slightly different.

There's a direct correlation between your understanding of functions, as seen in your math courses in school, and functions as seen in a programming language. This is because math is part of the underlying foundation of computer science and programming languages, among others (e.g. analysis of algorithms).

2 of 4
7

what is the purpose of having the arg1, arg2 in the parenthesis next to it?

arg1 and arg2 are the names of the inputs and from there the function can use those inputs. In your case what your function does is to print them. Other functions can do other things with these arguments. But let's go step by step.

def print_two_again(arg1, arg2):
    print "arg1: %r, arg2: %r" % (arg1, arg2) 

In the first two lines starting with def, you define a function. It does something. In your case prints the two arguments it takes.

print_two_again("Steve","Testing")

On the third line what you actually do is to call that function. When you call that function you tell the function to pass "Steve" and "Testing" arguments to the function definition.

Above line is literally called a function call. Let's say you have a program and you want it to print two words. You need to define how you want it to be done. This is called function definition, where you define how things work. That's OK, but not enough. You would want to make it happen. So what you do is to execute that function. This is called a function call.

print_two_again("First","Call")
print_two_again("Second","Call")

In the above lines, what we did is to call the previously defined function two times but with different arguments.

Now let's look at the second line, which probably confuses you.

print "arg1: %r, arg2: %r" % (arg1, arg2) 

print is a built-in function in Python. What above line does here is to pass arg1 and arg2 arguments and print them with the format of "arg1: %r, arg2: %r"

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Tutorial Teacher
tutorialsteacher.com › python › python-user-defined-function
Python Functions (With Examples)
A function is a reusable block of programming statements designed to perform a certain task. To define a function, Python provides the def keyword. The following is the syntax of defining a function.
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Python Like You Mean It
pythonlikeyoumeanit.com › Module2_EssentialsOfPython › Functions.html
Basics of Functions — Python Like You Mean It
The following is the general syntax for defining a Python function: def <function name>(<function signature>): """ documentation string """ <encapsulated code> return <object> <function name> can be any valid variable name, and must be followed by parentheses and then a colon. <function signature> specifies the input ...
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Data Science Discovery
discovery.cs.illinois.edu › learn › Simulation-and-Distributions › Functions-in-Python
Functions in Python - Data Science Discovery
A major component of being able to manipulate and analyze data in Python is being able to effectivetly use functions. Functions allow you to simplify repetitve processes or common tasks that you will encounter often when working with data.
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CodeHS
codehs.com › tutorial › ryan › basic-functions-in-python
Tutorial: Basic Functions in Python | CodeHS
Click on one of our programs below to get started coding in the sandbox! View All · Python Tutorial · python · By Calvin Studebaker · High School · javascript · By Ryan Hart · High School · Coding LMS · Online IDE · CodeHS Pro · Computer Science Curriculum ·
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WsCube Tech
wscubetech.com › resources › python › functions
Functions in Python: Types, Advantages, Examples
February 10, 2026 - Learn about Python functions, their types, advantages, and examples in this tutorial. Understand how to use functions in Python to write efficient, reusable code.