# Python Functions and Lambda Expressions: What I Learned Today

Today was one of those productive days in my Python learning journey. I dove deeper into **functions**, understood how **return statements** work, and even got introduced to the sleek and compact **lambda functions**. Here’s a quick breakdown of what I covered:

---

## Understanding Functions in Python

A function is like a **blender** — you feed in ingredients (data), it processes them, and gives you a result (smoothie 🍓). In Python, a function is a named block of reusable code that performs a specific task.

### Basic Function Structure

```plaintext
def function_name(parameters):
    # code block
```

* **Parameters** are the variables inside the function definition.
    
* **Arguments** are the actual values you pass when calling the function.
    

---

## Example: Greeting a User

```plaintext
def greet(name):  # Function definition
    print(f"Hello {name}!")

name = input("Enter your name: ")
greet(name)  # Function call with argument
```

---

## Returning Values from a Function

Functions aren’t limited to just printing — they can also **return values** for further processing.

### Addition Example

```plaintext
def add(a, b):
    return a + b

result = add(6, 8)
print(f"The sum is: {result}")
```

### Multiplication Example

```plaintext
def multiply(a, b):
    return a * b

print(multiply(23, 10))
```

---

## Function Exercises

### ✅ Square of a Number

```plaintext
def square(num):
    return pow(num, 2)

print(square(6))
```

### ➕ Adding Three Numbers

```plaintext
def add(a, b, c):
    return a + b + c

print(add(1, 2, 3))
```

### 🔎 Even or Odd Check

```plaintext
def checks_even(number):
    if number % 2 == 0:
        print("The number is even")
    else:
        print("The number is odd")

number = int(input("Enter any number: "))
checks_even(number)
```

---

## Combining Strings

```plaintext
def combine_strings(str1, str2):
    return str1 + str2

str1 = input("Enter your name: ")
str2 = input("Enter your profession: ")
combined = combine_strings(str1, str2)
print(f"My name is {str1} and my profession is {str2}")
```

---

## Enter Lambda Functions

Lambda functions are small, **anonymous functions** used when you want a quick, throwaway function — one-liners without the `def` keyword.

```plaintext
double = lambda x: x * 2
add = lambda a, b: a + b
square = lambda y: y * y

print(double(2))      # Output: 4
print(add(10, 20))    # Output: 30
print(square(8))      # Output: 64
```

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## 🎯 Final Thoughts

Functions form the core of any Python program. Learning how to define and use them — especially with `return` statements and even `lambda` for quick tasks — really enhances how I structure and reuse code. This is another solid step toward writing cleaner and more efficient Python!