Specifying Types – Functions
Now that we can declare a variable to be of a certain type, we need to do something with those variables. In C++, we do things by calling a function. A function is a sequence of statements that deliver an outcome. That outcome could be a mathematical calculation (for example, an exponent) that is then sent to a file or written to a Terminal.
Functions allow us to break our solution into sequences of statements that are easier to manage and understand. As we write these packaged statements, we can reuse them where it makes sense. If we need it to operate differently based on the context, then we pass in an argument. If it returns a result, then the function needs a return type.
As C++ is a strongly typed language, we need to specify the types related to the functions that we implement – the type of value returned by the function (including no return) and the type of argument(s) that are passed to it, if any.
The following is a typical hello world...