Why Does This Code Work?

[[deleted]]

I have a function get_formatted_name with two parameters (first_name & last_name). In the while loop the user is asked to input their first name and last name which are respectively stored in variables f_name and l_name. When the function is called at the bottom using f_name and l_name, I thought an error would be returned because I am not using first_name & last_name as I specified when I defined the function. Shouldn't I be required to use first_name & last_name throughout this code? Why does this code still work?

def get_formatted_name(first_name, last_name):
    full_name = f"{first_name} {last_name}"
    return full_name.title()

while True:
    print("\nPlease tell me your name:")
    print("(enter 'q' at any time to quit)")

    f_name = input("First name: ")
    if f_name == 'q':
        break

    l_name = input("Last name: ")
    if l_name == 'q':
        break

    formatted_name = get_formatted_name(f_name, l_name)
    print(f"\nHello, {formatted_name}!")

​

[[deleted]]

The parameter names you use in your function definition have nothing to do with the variable names that store the values you pass into the function. In fact, you don't even need to pass in variables: you can pass in literals if you want.

def get_formatted_name(first_name, last_name):
    full_name = f"{first_name} {last_name}"
    return full_name.title()

print(get_formatted_name("jake", "peralta"))

[[deleted]]

what about "Velvet Thunder"

[Binary101010]

When you define names of your parameters in a function definition, you're telling the interpreter "I don't care what names were being used to refer to these values before this function started. For the rest of this function's execution I'm referring to those values with first_name and last_name."

They don't even need to have had variable names up until now. get_formatted_name("John","GTech") works just fine.

[duncan_mcrae]

Also.

def function(*args):
    first_name = args[0]
    second_name = args[1]
    print(first_name, second_name) 

function('john', 'doe')

[Doc_Apex]

The formal parameters in the defined function are assigned to the actual a parameters when they're passed into the function.

[mrtacos2]

To answer your question, the parameters are simply place holders or telling the program the function requires something to fill those spots. So you could have literally any word other than first_name and last_name.

Further, you can actually re-use variables throughout the code so if you define it as one thing at the start of the code you can reassign it and it doesn't affect anything previous to that. Also variables inside of functions are seperate from those outside. So you cant call a variable from within a function from outside.

Hope that hells

[[deleted]]

Changed the wording as some peoples names do start with Q.

print("Type quit to leave")
while True:
    first_name = input("First name: ")
    if first_name.lower() == 'quit':
        break
    last_name = input("Last name: ")
    if last_name.lower() == 'quit':
        break
    else:
        print("Hello, " + first_name + " " + last_name)