Multiple return values in Python - Mini Project: Build & Apply

Multiple Return Values in Python

📖 Scenario: You are building a simple program to calculate the area and perimeter of a rectangle. This is useful in many real-life situations like planning a garden or a room.

🎯 Goal: Create a function that returns both the area and perimeter of a rectangle. Then use these values to display the results.

📋 What You'll Learn

Create a function that takes two parameters: length and width

The function should return two values: area and perimeter

Call the function with specific length and width values

Print the returned area and perimeter values

💡 Why This Matters

🌍 Real World

Calculating area and perimeter is common in construction, gardening, and interior design.

💼 Career

Understanding how to return multiple values from functions helps in writing clear and efficient code in many programming jobs.

1

Create variables for length and width

Create two variables called length and width and set them to 5 and 3 respectively.

Python

# Your code here

Need a hint?

Think of length and width as the sides of a rectangle.

2

Define a function to calculate area and perimeter

Define a function called calculate_rectangle that takes two parameters: length and width. Inside the function, calculate the area as length * width and the perimeter as 2 * (length + width). Return both area and perimeter.

Python

length = 5
width = 3
# Your code here

Need a hint?

Use the return statement to send back both values separated by a comma.

3

Call the function and store returned values

Call the function calculate_rectangle with the variables length and width. Store the returned values in two variables called area and perimeter.

Python

length = 5
width = 3
def calculate_rectangle(length, width):
    area = length * width
    perimeter = 2 * (length + width)
    return area, perimeter
# Your code here

Need a hint?

Use two variables on the left side to receive the two returned values.

4

Print the area and perimeter

Print the values of area and perimeter using two separate print statements.

Python

length = 5
width = 3
def calculate_rectangle(length, width):
    area = length * width
    perimeter = 2 * (length + width)
    return area, perimeter

area, perimeter = calculate_rectangle(length, width)
# Your code here

Need a hint?

Use print(area) and print(perimeter) to show the results.