What is a parameter in the context of a function?

In the context of a function, a parameter serves as a variable that is passed into the function to provide input values. This allows the function to operate on and utilize different data when it is called. For example, when you define a function to calculate the area of a rectangle, the parameters might be the length and width. When the function is called, the specific values for length and width are provided as arguments, which are then assigned to the parameters within the function.

This flexibility is essential as it allows for the same function to be reused with different inputs without needing to rewrite the function. This promotes code reusability and modularity, which are fundamental principles of programming.

In contrast, a fixed value assigned to a function refers to a constant that does not change during execution, making it distinct from parameters. A descriptive name for the function is also not a parameter but instead identifies what the function does. Finally, the return type of the function specifies what kind of value, if any, the function will output after processing but does not relate to the parameters themselves.