How do you call an “anonymous’ function?
a. After defining the anonymous function, call it by placing the function argument values separated by spaces afterward.
b. Assign the function definition to a variable and then, afterward, call the “anonymous” function by specifying the variable name, followed by the function argument values in between parentheses.
c. Assign the function definition to a variable and then, afterward, call the “anonymous” function by specifying the variable name, followed by the function argument values separated by spaces.
d. After defining the “anonymous” function, call it by placing the function argument values in between parentheses afterward.
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is b. Assign the function definition to a variable and then, afterward, call the “anonymous” function by specifying the variable name, followed by the function argument values in between parentheses.
Explanation:
An anonymous function is a function that is defined without a name. In many programming languages, such as Python, JavaScript, and others, anonymous functions are often used for short-lived tasks. They can be defined inline without the need to give them a name, but they still need to be called (executed) in some way.
To call an anonymous function, follow these steps:
- Define the anonymous function: Typically, this function is assigned to a variable, which gives you a reference to the function. For instance, in JavaScript, anonymous functions are often written in the form of a lambda or a function expression. The function itself is unnamed but is stored in a variable. Example in JavaScript:
const sum = function(a, b) { return a + b; }; - Call the anonymous function: Once the anonymous function is stored in a variable, you can call it by referring to the variable name, followed by parentheses containing any required argument values. This is how you invoke the function and pass it the input values. Example:
console.log(sum(3, 4)); // Output: 7
In this case, sum is the variable that holds the anonymous function, and you call it by providing the arguments 3 and 4 inside the parentheses. This process involves:
- Assigning the function to a variable (as seen in option b).
- Calling the function using the variable and passing the required arguments inside parentheses.
Thus, option b is the most accurate and correct way to define and invoke an anonymous function.