generated from mwc/lab_names
12286b4e53
A function is like a variable because it allows something to be repeated over and over again. In this case, the "something" is a set of commands rather than a value. If a function that is called many times needs to be changed, it only needs to be changed once, where the function is defined. Functions help to break down larger problems into smaller problems by breaking down a larger task (such as drawing the complex shapes) into a series of smaller tasks that are repeated. It is then easier to troubleshoot the smaller task before looking at the larger task. Another example would be if you have a block of code to make a robot move, functions for moving forward, reverse, and turning could be repeated over and over again. If the turn is off by a few degrees, the turning function could be adjusted, rather than trying to need to look through the entire code and finding every time the robot turns.