Functions in Pseudocode

Functions are fundamental components in programming that allow you to group related instructions together, make your code more modular, and promote reusability. In pseudocode, functions are used to structure algorithms and simplify complex tasks by breaking them down into smaller, more manageable pieces.

Function Syntax

The basic syntax for defining a function in pseudocode is:

FUNCTION function_name (parameters)
    statements
    RETURN value
END FUNCTION

Here, "function_name" is the name of the function, "parameters" are the inputs that the function takes, "statements" are the actions the function performs, and "value" is what the function returns.

Example of a Simple Function

FUNCTION calculate_sum (a, b)
    sum = a + b
    RETURN sum
END FUNCTION

INPUT x, y
result = calculate_sum(x, y)
OUTPUT result

This function takes two parameters, adds them together, and returns the sum. For more information on input and output operations, check the Input/Output in Pseudocode guide.

Functions with Multiple Return Values

Some functions may need to return multiple values. In pseudocode, we can represent this as follows:

FUNCTION calculate_stats (numbers)
    sum = 0
    count = 0
    FOR EACH num IN numbers
        sum = sum + num
        count = count + 1
    END FOR
    average = sum / count
    RETURN sum, count, average
END FUNCTION

data = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
total, quantity, mean = calculate_stats(data)
OUTPUT "Sum:", total, "Count:", quantity, "Average:", mean

Recursive Functions

Functions can call themselves, which is known as recursion. Here's an example of a recursive function to calculate factorial:

FUNCTION factorial (n)
    IF n = 0 OR n = 1 THEN
        RETURN 1
    ELSE
        RETURN n * factorial(n - 1)
    END IF
END FUNCTION

INPUT num
result = factorial(num)
OUTPUT "Factorial of", num, "is", result

For more information on if statements, refer to the If Statements in Pseudocode guide.

Best Practices for Functions in Pseudocode

Use descriptive names for functions and parameters
Keep functions focused on a single task
Use comments to explain complex logic within functions
Consider the scope of variables used in functions