how do you create a function in python
To create a function in python, you can follow these steps:
1. Start by using the keyword `def` followed by the name of the function. Make sure to choose a meaningful name that describes what the function does.
2. Include parentheses `()` after the function name. You can pass parameters inside these parentheses if needed. If your function doesn't require any parameters, you can leave the parentheses empty.
3. Next, add a colon `:` at the end of the function definition.
4. Indent the code block below the function definition. This indented block of code represents the body of the function.
5. Write the code that you want your function to execute inside the indented block.
6. Optionally, you can use the `return` statement to specify the value that the function should return. If you do not include a return statement, the function will return `None` by default.
Here's an example of a simple function that adds two numbers:
```python
def add_numbers(a, b):
sum = a + b
return sum
```
In this example, the function is named `add_numbers` and takes two parameters `a` and `b`. It calculates the sum of the two numbers and returns the result using the `return` statement.
You can call this function by using its name followed by parentheses and passing the required arguments:
```python
result = add_numbers(5, 3)
print(result) # Output: 8
```