Welcome to the Treehouse Community

Want to collaborate on code errors? Have bugs you need feedback on? Looking for an extra set of eyes on your latest project? Get support with fellow developers, designers, and programmers of all backgrounds and skill levels here with the Treehouse Community! While you're at it, check out some resources Treehouse students have shared here.

Looking to learn something new?

Treehouse offers a seven day free trial for new students. Get access to thousands of hours of content and join thousands of Treehouse students and alumni in the community today.

Start your free trial

Python Functions, Packing, and Unpacking Packing and Unpacking Packing, a Practical Example

Ryan Dyke
seal-mask
.a{fill-rule:evenodd;}techdegree
Ryan Dyke
Full Stack JavaScript Techdegree Student 6,630 Points

Does * also work with other words for parameters? So, instead of *args, could you use *items or *prices?

Just wondering if *args must be specifically args

2 Answers

Cameron Sprague
Cameron Sprague
11,272 Points

Hi Ryan,

I just finished this section in Python too. Working on this in workspaces you can pass anything name into the parameters section. Please see the examples below both of these examples return the same result.

def packer(*items):
    total = sum(items)
    print(total)
packer(20, 40, 60)

def packer(*abc):
    total = sum(abc)
    print(total)
packer(20, 40, 60)
Robbie Baker
Robbie Baker
3,697 Points

I tested this with many different options. The naming convention for this works with any normal arguement naming just as long as you have the asterisk.