I don't understand how "word" works in this script

Question

```Python 
def display_blanks( word):
    blanks = "-" * len(word)
    print(blanks)
print("Puzzle 1:")
displayblanks("treehouse")
print("Puzzle 2:")
displayblanks( "python")
```

Mel Rumsey · Accepted Answer

Hi there @can Unsal (https://teamtreehouse.com/canunsal)!
The word in this case is called a parameter. It is what is passed into a function when it is called, which is called an argument.
In this case 
```python 
def display_blanks(word):
    blanks = "-" * len(word)
    print(blanks)
displayblanks("treehouse")
``
The python interpreter is going through the function with what is passed in as an argument whendisplayblanks()is called.display_blanks("treehouse")would makeblanks = "-" * len("treehouse")which would output"---------"`
The parameter of a function is a placeholder for whatever is entered when the function is called.
I hope this helps!

Michael Jacoby · Answer

Another way to say this to the noobs - like me - is that word is a placeholder for the word that will be used (to determine how many hyphens there will be).   In this case, word = both treehouse (9) and python (6), so that placeholder word is used to generate output.   parameter word, arguments treehouse, python
I get that this is being used to teach us something, but to me it's not practical.  I don't know anyone in the real world - coding for a company - that would use words to determine how many hyphens there will be.  Atop that, the output doesn't look uniform.  Seems to me it'd be better to just use the print function and use the same amount of hyphens.
... still learning
... long way to go

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can Unsal

can Unsal

I don't understand how "word" works in this script

2 Answers

Mel Rumsey

Mel Rumsey

Michael Jacoby

Michael Jacoby