Output: Print

We know that calling the print() function displays something to the screen. Here we use print() in our function:

>>> def double_number(number):

print(number * 2)

Then call the function, passing it the number 12:

>>> double_number(12)

24

Let's call the function again, this time assigning it to the variable new_number:

>>> new_number = double(12)

24

But what happens here?

>>> new_number

We’ve worked with print() in a few of our examples, so we know what it does - we give it a value and it shows that value in our interpreter. But all it does is display that value - the value isn’t saved.

Let’s look at our example. We've defined a function called double_number that takes a number and multiplies it by two. When we call that function and assign its value to the variable new_number, it will print the number 24.

But the next time you enter new_number, it doesn’t have the value 24 anymore. The value hasn’t been saved.