Multiple parameters in Python - Practice Problems & Coding Challenges

Challenge - 5 Problems

❓ Predict Output

intermediate

Output of function with multiple parameters and default values

What is the output of this Python code?

Python

def greet(name, greeting="Hello", punctuation="!"):
    return f"{greeting}, {name}{punctuation}"

result = greet("Alice", punctuation=".")
print(result)

A Hello, Alice.

B Hello, punctuation.

C Hello, Alice!

D TypeError

💡 Hint

Check which parameters have default values and how they are overridden.

The function greet has three parameters: name (required), greeting (default "Hello"), and punctuation (default "!"). The call greet("Alice", punctuation=".") uses the default greeting but overrides punctuation with ".". So the output is "Hello, Alice.".

❓ Predict Output

intermediate

Output of function with *args and multiple parameters

What will this code print?

Python

def add_numbers(a, b, *args):
    total = a + b
    for num in args:
        total += num
    return total

print(add_numbers(1, 2, 3, 4))

A 7

B 6

C TypeError

D 10

💡 Hint

Remember *args collects extra positional arguments as a tuple.

The function adds a and b first (1 + 2 = 3), then adds each number in args (3 and 4), total is 10.

❓ Predict Output

advanced

Output of function with keyword-only parameters

What is the output of this code?

Python

def describe_pet(name, *, species="dog", age=1):
    return f"{name} is a {age}-year-old {species}."

print(describe_pet("Buddy", species="cat"))

A Buddy is a 1-year-old cat.

B Buddy is a dog.

C TypeError

D Buddy is a cat.

💡 Hint

Parameters after * must be passed as keywords.

species and age are keyword-only parameters with defaults. species is overridden to "cat", age remains 1.

❓ Predict Output

advanced

Output of function with multiple parameters and unpacking

What does this code print?

Python

def multiply(x, y, z):
    return x * y * z

values = (2, 3, 4)
print(multiply(*values))

A 234

B TypeError

C 24

D 9

💡 Hint

The * operator unpacks the tuple into separate arguments.

The tuple (2,3,4) is unpacked as multiply(2,3,4), so 2*3*4=24.

🧠 Conceptual

expert

Understanding parameter passing with mutable default arguments

Consider this function definition: def append_item(item, items=[]): items.append(item) return items What will be the output of these two calls? print(append_item(1)) print(append_item(2))

A

[1]
[2]

B

[1]
[1, 2]

C

TypeError
TypeError

D

[1, 2]
[1, 2]

💡 Hint

Default mutable arguments keep their state between calls.

The default list is created once. The first call appends 1, returning [1]. The second call appends 2 to the same list, returning [1, 2].