C# and Algorithmic Thinking for the Complete Beginner

Chapter 36 User-Defined Subprograms

36.1 Subprograms that Return a Value

In many computer languages, a subprogram that returns a value is called a function. C# calls them methods and there are two categories of methods. There are the built-in methods, such as Math.Abs(), Math.Sqrt(), and there are the user-defined methods, those that you can personally write and use in your own programs.

The general form of a C# method that returns a value is shown here.

return_type name([type1 arg1, type2 arg2, type3 arg3, …]) {

Local variables declaration section

 

A statement or block of statements

return value;

}

where

►return_type is the data type of the value that the method returns.

►name is the name of the method.

►arg1, arg2, arg3, … is a list of arguments ...