Returning a value from function : help!

this is driving me nuts.....the object is to generate the sum of numbers 1-10. that number, which is 55, is generated with the function COMPUTE_SUM.

The data does not display correctly as SUM keeps coming back with 0.

The catch is....the SUM has to be displayed within MAIN and I cannot use global variables.

I had placed the cout statement outside the loop and it will generate the proper sum but I'm guessing that is not within MAIN.

Here's the given code. All help is appreciated.

Code:

---

#include<iostream>
using namespace std;

void compute_sum(int);


void main()
{
        int sum = 0;
        int n = 10;
        compute_sum(n);
        cout << "The sum is " << sum << endl;
}

void compute_sum(int x)
{
        int sum = 0;
        int num = 1;
        while (num <= x)
        {
                sum += num;
                num++;
        }
}

---

Look like you probably need to have your function return a value instead of being a void function.

Code:

---

int compute_sum(int x);

...

int compute_sum(int x)
{
    int sum = 0;
    int num = 1;
    while (num <= x)
    {
        sum += num;
        num++;
    }
    return sum;
}

---

Your main function needs to then capture this returned value. I'll leave that to you... it's real easy. BTW, main should return an int, not void. You should also realize that the sum variable declared in main is not the same sum variable as is declared in compute_sum. Though they share the same name, they are distinct variables each only visible in their respective functions. I think this is why you say "sum keeps comming back 0". You need to assign the return value from the compute_sum function to the sum variable in main.

I have changed the void to int including MAIN. I used the RETURN after the while loop has concluded through a quick COUT, the value of SUM is 55. Why MAIN is not picking it up is the next big mystery.

Code:

---

#include<iostream>
using namespace std;

int compute_sum(int);


int main()
{
        int sum = 0;
        int n = 10;
        compute_sum(n);
        cout << "The sum is " << sum << endl;
        return 0;
}

int compute_sum(int x)
{
        int sum = 0;
        int num = 1;
        while (num <= x)
        {
                sum += num;
                num++;
        }
        return sum;
}

---

You should have

Code:

---

  cout << "The sum is " << compute_sum(n) << endl;

---

Code:

---

cout << "The sum is " << compute_sum(n) << endl;

---

It works!

Still confused but logically the value of compute_sum after completion is 55 so therefore the reference in the cout statement pulls from compute_sum. So I guess my question is....did the return sum; statement return the value of sum back to main or to compute_sum & compute_sum carried it back to main?

WGK

When you call compute_sum() (or any function which returns a value), the value gets returned to the point where you called it. So when you had the line

Code:

---

  compute_sum(n);

---

you were basically throwing away the value it returned, since you didn't assign it to anything. You can also get rid of the sum variable in main(), since you're not using that either.

Got a better picture of it now. Thanks for the help.

WGK