The value that a function sends back to the code that called it, specified by the return statement. When a function executes a return statement, it immediately stops running and passes the specified value back to the caller, where it can be stored, used in expressions, or passed to other functions.
A function is like a vending machine — you put in inputs (arguments) and get back an output (return value). The return value is what comes out.
Showing a random 20 of 50 problems.
Example 1
medium
`def f(a): result = a * 3` (no return). What does `r = f(2)` set `r` to?
Example 2
challenge
`def f(n): if n < 2: return n; return f(n-1) + f(n-2)`. What is `f(5)` (Fibonacci)?
Example 3
medium
`def f(): return` (bare return). What is the value of `f()`?
Example 4
medium
What is the difference between a function that returns a value and one that just prints? Compare: FUNCTION add(a,b): RETURN a+b vs FUNCTION printSum(a,b): OUTPUT a+b.
Example 5
medium
`def f(n): return n % 2 == 0`. What does `f(6)` return and what does it mean?
Example 6
challenge
`def f(n): if n <= 1: return 1; return n * f(n - 1)`. What is `f(4)`?Recursive factorial — stack unwinds multiplying back up to f(4)
Example 7
hard
`def f(n): if n == 0: return 0; return n + f(n-1)`. What is `f(5)`?
Example 8
medium
FUNCTION square(n): RETURN n * n. What is the output of: SET result = square(4) + square(3). OUTPUT result.
Example 9
easy
`def f(): return True`. Used in `if f():`, does the body run?
Example 10
medium
`def stats(xs): return min(xs), max(xs), sum(xs)`. What does `lo, hi, total = stats([3, 1, 4])` set the three variables to?
Example 11
medium
`def f(): x = 10; return x; x = 99`. What does `f()` return?
Example 12
easy
`def h(): print(7)`. What does `h()` return?
Example 13
medium
`def maxv(a, b): if a >= b: return a; return b`. What is `maxv(3, 8)`?
Example 14
medium
`def make_list(n): return [n, n*2, n*3]`. What is `make_list(4)`?
Example 15
medium
`def classify(n): if n < 0: return 'neg'; if n == 0: return 'zero'; return 'pos'`. What does `classify(0)` return?
Example 16
hard
Why is `return` preferred over `print` when a function's value is needed by other code? Compare `def add(a,b): print(a+b)` versus `def add(a,b): return a+b`.
Example 17
easy
A function `def f(): return 5`. What does `f()` evaluate to?
Example 18
medium
What is the output of this program?
FUNCTION double(n)
RETURN n * 2
END FUNCTION
FUNCTION addThree(n)
RETURN n + 3
END FUNCTION
SET result = addThree(double(4))
OUTPUT resultInner function double(4) returns 8; that value becomes the argument to addThree
Example 19
medium
`def f(): pass`. What is `print(f())`?
Example 20
medium
FUNCTION max(a, b): IF a > b THEN RETURN a ELSE RETURN b. What is max(max(3, 7), max(5, 2))?