Notes concerning Staugaard's presentation of functions

1. Function Prototypes: The text introduces function prototypes. The prototype introduces the compiler to the name of the function, its return type, and the number and type of its arguments but does not give the code for the function body. At this time, you should have a reading knowledge of prototypes, so as to follow the examples in the book. I will avoid the use of prototypes in class.
2. Call by Reference: Despite its intuitive appeal, call by reference is a difficult concept. Once exercised in the simple call by value, we will return to call by reference. For now, you can skip reading about call by reference.
3. Default arguments and Function Overloading: The rules concerning default arguments and overloading are complicated. You don't have to read this material in the text at this time. If, out of curiousity, you do read the material, and want to know what all the complications are about, consider a function which is both overloaded and has default arguments.
4. File Scope: The names of functions have a scope in the same sense that local variables do, even though they are enclosed in no compound statement. They are said to have file scope. Variables which are in file scope are called global. We shall not use such global variables. Read lightly the text's discussion of these concepts.
5. Static Variables: The static variable is an advanced topic, made more difficult by a second use of the word static for variables in file scope. Omit reading about static variables.