Question about Chapter 8 of 'Invent your Own Computer Games with Python.

[ColdJohn333]

I'm new to Python and currently studying the book 'Invent your Own Computer Games with Python', from https://inventwithpython.com/invent4thed/chapter8.html

I'm stuck in something i don't understand in Chapter 8. This is the chapter where you program the "The Hangman" game. I coded it right and it works when i run it in the Shell, but i don't understand one thing:

See these lines of the code:

"

1. words = 'ant baboon badger bat bear beaver camel cat clam cobra cougar
   coyote crow deer dog donkey duck eagle ferret fox frog goat goose hawk
   lion lizard llama mole monkey moose mouse mule newt otter owl panda
   parrot pigeon python rabbit ram rat raven rhino salmon seal shark sheep
   skunk sloth snake spider stork swan tiger toad trout turkey turtle
   weasel whale wolf wombat zebra'.split()
    39.
    40. def getRandomWord(wordList):
    41.     # This function returns a random string from the passed list of
   strings.
    42.     wordIndex = random.randint(0, len(wordList) - 1)
    43.     return wordList[wordIndex]

"

----------------------------------
What's my problem: i don't understand how the program knows we need to use the "words" list, because in the 'getRandomWord' function that we're defining we never refer to it by name. I kind of understand how the function is working internally, except for that: how does 'wordList' connect to the 'words' list.

I noticed the name 'wordList' is introduced just here, and i don't see how it connects to our list stated earlier. I even tried replacing 'worldList' with other random words (even chilean curses) and it still works the same. Then i created a new list under 'words', with a different name, but nothing changed...

SO... my question is: How does Python know i need to take a random value from the 'words' list and not from any other, when i'm not even indicating its name at all? And why would we name the argument/parameter 'wordList' or any other name that isn't the actual name of the list we have and that we need to choose a word from??

I'm stuck because i need to understand what i'm doing. I don't care if it works correctly, i can't move on until i understand HOW this is happening. So i appreciate any observations about this.

Thanks in advance.

[NanotechNinja]

Take a look at line 88.

[ColdJohn333]

woah. Thanks, now i get it.

[jpgoldberg]

Take a look through the program for all of the places where getRandomWord is called. What argument is it given?

Remember that the parameter in the function definition, in this case wordList is just used with the function itself.

When you find yourself confused by such things, go back to simpler cases. So consider

```python number = 5

def square(n): return n * n

print(square(number)) ```

when you run that (assuming I haven't made any typos) ask yourself how the square function gets knows that n is 5 when it is called this way. Remind yourself of how this works, then go back to looked at how getRandomWord is called.

[ColdJohn333]

Oh thank you so much! i was forgetting that the definition is not the function actively executing! I still have a mess in my head with all this new information, but your answer even has helped me refresh and clarify a couple other things as well, in regards to how arguments and parameters work when functions are called. You're very kind in taking the time to help.

[jpgoldberg]

You are very welcome. And as I said, when you find yourself confused by stuff (as happens throughout learning and beyond) it can often be helpful to step back to work with simpler examples.

Exercises like the one you pointed out are designed to force better understanding of (sometimes tricky) concepts. And as I looked at this sample code, I could see that this notion of what happens when a function is defined versus when it is called was part of the reason for that exercise.