How to correctly define a function?

Question

In python I\'m trying to do the following to define a function:

count_letters(word) = count_vowels(word) + count_consonants(word)

But for

Answer 1

This is not how you declare a function in python. What you want to write is:

def count_letters(word):
    return count_vowels(word) + count_consonants(word)

That is if you already have a count_vowels and a count_consonants function.

Answer 2

May be what you want to do is something like

def count_letters(word):
    return count_vowels(word) + count_consonants(word)

Answer 3

having defined function: count_vowels(word) and count_consonants(word)

then you can do this: count_letters = count_vowels(word) +count_consonants(word)

hope it help! thanks

Answer 4

The result of function call count_letters(word) is not assignable. That's as easy as that.

I don't believe it can work in python though, you should have an error like that:

SyntaxError: can't assign to function call

Answer 5

You need to replace it with a proper function definition:

def count_letters(word):
    return count_vowels(word) + count_consonants(word)

The syntax you're trying to use is not valid Python.

Answer 6

If I gather correctly, you're trying to create a function. However, what you have right now is not valid syntax--to Python, it looks like you're trying to assign a value to a function call (count_letters(word)), which is not permissible in Python. count_letters = count_vowels(word) + count_consonants(word) would work, but is not what you want.

What you should do in order to declare the function is the following:

def count_letters(word):
    return count_vowels(word) + count_consonants(word)