How to call a function with arguments in ALGOL?
ALGOL, short for Algorithmic Language, is a high-level programming language primarily used in scientific calculations. It allows you to create functions that can do specific tasks and can make your code structured and easy to maintain.
To call a function with arguments in ALGOL, follow these steps:
Step 1: First you need to define the function. The syntax of function definition in ALGOL is as follows:
PROCEDURE function_name (parameter_1, parameter_2, ..., parameter_n)
BEGIN
function_code
END;
Here, PROCEDURE
is a keyword in ALGOL that prefaces the function, function_name
is the name you give to the function, parameter_1, parameter_2, ..., parameter_n
are the parameters you will pass to the function (which could be variables or constants), and function_code
is the code that will be executed when the function is called. This entire function definition must end with a semicolon.
For example, let’s say we have a function to add two integers:
PROCEDURE add (INT a, INT b)
BEGIN
INT c;
c := a + b;
return c;
END;
In this example function called add, there are two parameters – integer a
and integer b
. It adds a
and b
and stores the result in integer c
, and then returns the value of c
.
Step 2: Once a function is defined, you can call it from anywhere within your code. The syntax of calling a function in ALGOL is as follows:
function_name(argument_1, argument_2, ..., argument_n);
Here, function_name
is the name of the function you are calling, and argument_1, argument_2, ..., argument_n
are the arguments that you pass into the function. These arguments must match the parameters in the function definition in both number and type.
For example, let’s use our add
function:
INT result;
result := add(5, 3);
In this code, add(5, 3);
is calling the function add
and passing 5
and 3
as the arguments.
Remember, when passing arguments into a function, they must correspond with the parameters in the function definition in both position and type. In the add
example, 5
corresponds with parameter a
, and 3
corresponds with parameter b
. Both 5 and 3 match the types of a
and b
respectively, as they both are integers.
That's it. You have now defined a function with arguments and called the function with arguments in ALGOL.