How to correctly define a function?

Question

In python I'm trying to do the following to define a function:

count_letters(word) = count_vowels(word) + count_consonants(word)

But for some reason, it is wrong. I'm getting this error:

SyntaxError: can't assign to function call

How can I fix it?

Thank you

You can not set the result (`count_vowels(word) + count_consonants(word`) to a function call (`count_letters(word)`) — Mp0int, Oct 04 '12 at 08:06
here's a good start: http://docs.python.org/tutorial/controlflow.html#defining-functions — monkut, Oct 04 '12 at 08:20

score 5 · Accepted Answer · edited Oct 04 '12 at 08:13

5

This is not how you declare a function in python. What you want to write is:

def count_letters(word):
    return count_vowels(word) + count_consonants(word)

That is if you already have a count_vowels and a count_consonants function.

edited Oct 04 '12 at 08:13

Michael

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answered Oct 04 '12 at 08:08

Dean Elbaz

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score 4 · Answer 2 · answered Oct 04 '12 at 08:01

4

The result of function call count_letters(word) is not assignable. That's as easy as that.

I don't believe it can work in python though, you should have an error like that:

SyntaxError: can't assign to function call

answered Oct 04 '12 at 08:01

Antoine Pelisse

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score 3 · Answer 3 · answered Oct 04 '12 at 08:07

3

You need to replace it with a proper function definition:

def count_letters(word):
    return count_vowels(word) + count_consonants(word)

The syntax you're trying to use is not valid Python.

answered Oct 04 '12 at 08:07

Chris Taylor

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even if admittedly that wouldn't be an ugly syntax... `square(x) = x*x` :-) – 6502 Oct 04 '12 at 08:11
@6502 You should look at Haskell - the definition of the `square` function is `square x = x * x` – Chris Taylor Oct 04 '12 at 08:24

6502 · Answer 4 · 2012-10-05T06:57:19.950

2

May be what you want to do is something like

def count_letters(word):
    return count_vowels(word) + count_consonants(word)

edited Oct 05 '12 at 06:57

answered Oct 04 '12 at 08:08

6502

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score 1 · Answer 5 · answered Oct 04 '12 at 08:09

If I gather correctly, you're trying to create a function. However, what you have right now is not valid syntax--to Python, it looks like you're trying to assign a value to a function call (count_letters(word)), which is not permissible in Python. count_letters = count_vowels(word) + count_consonants(word) would work, but is not what you want.

What you should do in order to declare the function is the following:

def count_letters(word):
    return count_vowels(word) + count_consonants(word)

score -2 · Answer 6 · answered Sep 22 '19 at 06:53

-2

having defined function: count_vowels(word) and count_consonants(word)

then you can do this: count_letters = count_vowels(word) +count_consonants(word)

hope it help! thanks

answered Sep 22 '19 at 06:53

Imadonmwinyi Osazee

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How to correctly define a function?

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