Variable-length arguments (*args) in Python - Mini Project: Build & Apply

Using Variable-length Arguments (*args) in Python

📖 Scenario: Imagine you are creating a simple calculator function that can add any number of numbers given to it. Sometimes you want to add two numbers, sometimes five, or even ten. You want to write one function that can handle all these cases easily.

🎯 Goal: Build a Python function called add_numbers that uses variable-length arguments (*args) to add any amount of numbers given to it and returns the total sum.

📋 What You'll Learn

Create a function named add_numbers that accepts variable-length arguments using *args.

Inside the function, calculate the sum of all numbers passed in *args.

Return the total sum from the function.

Call the function with different numbers of arguments and print the results.

💡 Why This Matters

🌍 Real World

Functions with variable-length arguments are useful when you don't know how many inputs users will provide, like adding items to a shopping cart or calculating totals.

💼 Career

Understanding <code>*args</code> is important for writing flexible and reusable code, a key skill for software developers and data analysts.

1

Create the function add_numbers with *args

Write a function called add_numbers that accepts variable-length arguments using *args. Inside the function, create a variable called total and set it to 0.

Python

def add_numbers(*args):
    # Create a variable called total and set it to 0
    # Your code here

Need a hint?

Use *args in the function definition to accept any number of arguments.

2

Add all numbers in *args using a for loop

Inside the add_numbers function, use a for loop with the variable number to iterate over args. Add each number to the total variable.

Python

def add_numbers(*args):
    total = 0
    # Use a for loop with variable number to add each number in args to total
    # Your code here

Need a hint?

Use for number in args: to loop through all numbers passed to the function.

3

Return the total sum from the function

Add a return statement at the end of the add_numbers function to return the total variable.

Python

def add_numbers(*args):
    total = 0
    for number in args:
        total += number
    # Return the total sum
    # Your code here

Need a hint?

Use return total to send the result back when the function is called.

4

Call the function with different numbers and print the results

Call the add_numbers function with these arguments and print the results exactly as shown:
print(add_numbers(1, 2))
print(add_numbers(5, 10, 15))
print(add_numbers(3, 4, 5, 6))

Python

def add_numbers(*args):
    total = 0
    for number in args:
        total += number
    return total

# Call the function with different numbers and print the results
# Your code here

Need a hint?

Use print(add_numbers(...)) with the exact numbers given to see the sums.