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PCAP Function definition Practice Question
Drag and drop the steps to define and call a function with default arguments in Python into the correct order.
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mistake is to place the colon before the parameter list or to forget to indent the body. Ensure the colon is right after the parentheses and the body is indented.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use the def keyword followed by the function name and parentheses Specify parameters with default values using the assignment operator Include a colon and indent the function body Write the function body with statements that use the parameters Call the function with only required arguments to use default values Call the function with all arguments to override defaults
To define a function with default arguments in Python, first use the def keyword, then provide the function name and parentheses. Inside the parentheses, specify any parameters, optionally assigning default values using the assignment operator. Follow with a colon and indent the function body. Finally, call the function by its name, passing arguments as needed. The correct order is 1,2,3,4,5,6.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Use the def keyword followed by the function name and parentheses Specify parameters with default values using the assignment operator Include a colon and indent the function body Write the function body with statements that use the parameters Call the function with only required arguments to use default values Call the function with all arguments to override defaults
Why this is correct
This is the correct order because the function definition must start with def, then specify the name and parameters with defaults, add a colon, indent the body, write the body code, and finally call the function.
- ✗
Call the function with all arguments to override defaults Use the def keyword followed by the function name and parentheses Specify parameters with default values using the assignment operator Include a colon and indent the function body Write the function body with statements that use the parameters Call the function with only required arguments to use default values
Why it's wrong here
The sequence begins by invoking the function with all arguments before the function has been defined, which violates Python's top-down execution model. At the time this call is encountered, the name is not bound to any function object, so Python raises a NameError. Defining the function must always precede any call to it, regardless of whether all arguments are supplied or defaults are used.
- ✗
Use the def keyword followed by the function name and parentheses Specify parameters with default values using the assignment operator Include a colon and indent the function body Call the function with only required arguments to use default values Write the function body with statements that use the parameters Call the function with all arguments to override defaults
Why it's wrong here
In this sequence, the function is called after the colon and indentation marker but before the body statements have been written. In valid Python source, the indented body must immediately follow the def header; a function with no body (or only a placeholder like pass) would either be a SyntaxError or an incomplete definition. Thus the call executes—or would execute—before the definition is fully assembled, which is impossible in practice: the body must be written and indented before any invocation.
- ✗
Use the def keyword followed by the function name and parentheses Include a colon and indent the function body Specify parameters with default values using the assignment operator Write the function body with statements that use the parameters Call the function with only required arguments to use default values Call the function with all arguments to override defaults
Why it's wrong here
This order incorrectly places the colon before the parameter list. Python's grammar requires the def header to be exactly "def name(params):" — the colon terminates the parameter list, so writing it earlier breaks the syntax and yields a SyntaxError. Furthermore, indentation is a property of the body block that follows the header, not a standalone step that can precede the parameter specification.
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