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![Jo-ann de la Mare](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/8523b1c4a5a4d4b60816d245d66132a8?s=96&d=https%3A%2F%2Fecs-static.teamtreehouse.com%2Fassets%2Fcontent%2Fdefault_avatar-445fbbabfc8dc9188fb5967fe43322ee0c3e0dd1e10f378bf8343784af5a13eb.webp&r=pg)
Jo-ann de la Mare
1,036 PointsParameter v Argument confusion
I'm getting confused. I thought that when creating a function the argument is what is initially passed in the function definition, meaning that if we type: def add_item(item) : item becomes the argument, however in this video Craig asks us to define the parameter as item. Why is he using the term parameter for argument or am I completely misunderstanding the terms? In my head I remembered it as the A always comes before the P - the argument before the parameter.
2 Answers
![Mohammad Azawi](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/19fa3fe316b81895159ab46b3ea0f645?s=96&d=https%3A%2F%2Fecs-static.teamtreehouse.com%2Fassets%2Fcontent%2Fdefault_avatar-445fbbabfc8dc9188fb5967fe43322ee0c3e0dd1e10f378bf8343784af5a13eb.webp&r=pg)
Mohammad Azawi
Courses Plus Student 5,631 Pointsdef add_item(item) # item is the parameter
#When you call the function
add_item(6) # (6) is the argument
![Simon Chalder](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/1edd90f4805280d58fd7cba9df441169?s=96&d=https%3A%2F%2Fecs-static.teamtreehouse.com%2Fassets%2Fcontent%2Fdefault_avatar-445fbbabfc8dc9188fb5967fe43322ee0c3e0dd1e10f378bf8343784af5a13eb.webp&r=pg)
Simon Chalder
4,293 PointsWhen defining what a function will take i.e. def example(list) it is called a parameter
When calling that function in the code body i.e. example(list_name) it is called an argument