Evaluate the code below, and suggest ways to improve it.

Question

def find_sum(num1, num_2):
'''
Finds and returns sum of two numbers
'''
return num1 + num_2
(1 point)
Responses

There should be an additional variable defined at the beginning to store the sum, and this value is returned at the end.
There should be an additional variable defined at the beginning to store the sum, and this value is returned at the end.

The name of this method should be something else.
The name of this method should be something else.

Instead of returning the sum, the program should just print it onscreen.
Instead of returning the sum, the program should just print it onscreen.

The method has a docstring that is not descriptive enough. The docstring should mention the variables and their descriptions to

Answer 1

The provided code is functional but there are several improvements that can enhance its readability, maintainability, and usability. Below are suggestions grouped by category:

1. Code Structure and Readability

• Variable Naming: The second parameter is named num_2 which is inconsistent with Python naming conventions (PEP 8). It would be better to rename it to num2.

• Add Type Annotations: Adding type annotations can improve clarity regarding the expected input types:

  def find_sum(num1: float, num2: float) -> float:
  

2. Documentation Improvement

• More Descriptive Docstring: The existing docstring could be enhanced to include descriptions of the parameters and the return value:

  def find_sum(num1: float, num2: float) -> float:
      '''
      Finds and returns the sum of two numbers.
  
      Parameters:
      num1 (float): The first number.
      num2 (float): The second number.
  
      Returns:
      float: The sum of num1 and num2.
      '''
  

3. Functionality and Usability

• Consider Error Handling: It might be useful to include some basic error handling to handle invalid inputs, such as non-numeric values:

  def find_sum(num1: float, num2: float) -> float:
      if not isinstance(num1, (int, float)) or not isinstance(num2, (int, float)):
          raise ValueError("Both inputs must be numbers.")
      return num1 + num2
  

4. Usage Instructions

• Example Usage: Including an example usage within the docstring can help users understand how to use the function effectively:

  '''
  Example:
      result = find_sum(5, 3)  # result will be 8
  '''
  

5. Alternative Options

• Option for Print: If the intent is also to print the result, you could provide an option parameter to either return or print the result:

  def find_sum(num1: float, num2: float, print_result: bool = False) -> float:
      result = num1 + num2
      if print_result:
          print(result)
      return result
  

Final Code Example

Here’s how the improved function might look with all the suggestions applied:

def find_sum(num1: float, num2: float, print_result: bool = False) -> float:
    '''
    Finds and returns the sum of two numbers.

    Parameters:
    num1 (float): The first number.
    num2 (float): The second number.

    Returns:
    float: The sum of num1 and num2.

    Raises:
    ValueError: If either num1 or num2 is not a number.

    Example:
        result = find_sum(5, 3)       # result will be 8
        find_sum(5, 3, print_result=True)  # This will print 8
    '''
    if not isinstance(num1, (int, float)) or not isinstance(num2, (int, float)):
        raise ValueError("Both inputs must be numbers.")
    
    result = num1 + num2
    
    if print_result:
        print(result)
    
    return result

These improvements enhance the usability, maintainability, and clarity of your code.