return a value

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "return a value" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used in programming and mathematics to describe the output produced by a function or operation. Example: "The function will return a value that represents the sum of the two input numbers."

✓ Grammatically correct

Academia

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

37 human-written examples

Fruitful functions (possibly) return a value other than None.

Cornell University

Derived class, such as those that do binning, may return a value to reflect their binning algorithm.

Stanford University

The results of the simulations return a value for the average particle fractal dimension closer to the experimental values than is obtained using the standard formula.

Chemical Engineering Science

Assuming that at most t entries of the vector can be erroneous, f is required to return a value that appears at least t+1 times in x.

Theoretical Computer Science

Fortran functions are quite similar to mathematical functions: They both take a set of input arguments (parameters) and return a value of some type.

Stanford University

Re-binding operations violate the conditions of referential transparency because they do more than return a value; they change the environment.

University of California, Berkeley

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

23 human-written examples

Note that get_xsxset only returns a value once the corresponding set_xsxset command has been made, otherwise it returns the empty string.

Harvard University

This function returns a value between [0,r].

EURASIP Journal on Information Security

Uber's API returns a value range indicating the minimum and maximum price estimate.

EPJ Data Science

We dealt with the possibility of failure by returning a value of type Option[Double].

Journal of Cheminformatics

By assumption, A and B terminate in all invocations, thus in every execution, a nonfaulty robot returns a value.

Journal of the Brazilian Computer Society

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing code documentation, use "return a value" to clearly describe what a function outputs after execution. This is particularly useful for complex functions where the output isn't immediately obvious from the function's name or parameters.

Common error

Avoid using "return a value" when the primary purpose of the function is to perform an action or modify state. If a function mainly updates a database or prints output, focus on describing these actions rather than emphasizing the returned value, as it may be secondary or even None.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "return a value" functions as a verbal phrase specifying the output of a process, typically a function or calculation. Ludwig AI examples show its usage in describing the behavior of functions in programming, simulations, and mathematical operations.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

40%

Academia

30%

News & Media

10%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "return a value" is grammatically correct and primarily used in technical contexts like programming, mathematics, and scientific research to describe the output of a process or function. Ludwig AI classifies the phrase as usable in written English. While "return a value" is mostly found in formal and scientific contexts, it is also used in news and media, as evidenced by the distribution of source types. Alternatives include "yield a result", "provide an output", and "generate a result". When using the phrase, ensure it aligns with the technical nature of the content. It is advisable to avoid using "return a value" when the function mainly modifies a state or performs an action instead of calculating and providing a direct output.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

yield a result

Replaces 'return' with 'yield', emphasizing the act of producing a result or outcome.

provide an output

Focuses on the act of giving or supplying a result, changing 'return' to 'provide' and 'value' to 'output'.

generate a result

Emphasizes the creation of a result or outcome, substituting 'return' with 'generate'.

compute a result

Highlights the calculation aspect, making it suitable when the value is the outcome of a computation.

produce a result

Focuses on the act of creation or production of a result, 'produce' replacing 'return'.

give back a result

Adds emphasis on the act of giving something back after processing, which can be helpful in specifying interactions.

resolve to a value

Suitable in scenarios where a process resolves or simplifies to a final value.

evaluate to a value

Best when a expression or statement is being evaluated resulting in the value.

output a result

Directly indicates the act of outputting a result after computation.

deliver a result

Highlights the delivery or transmission of a value as a final outcome.

FAQs

How can I use "return a value" in a sentence?

The phrase "return a value" is commonly used to describe what a function or method outputs after it has been executed. For example, "This function will "return a value" representing the total cost of the items."

What is the difference between "return a value" and "produce a result"?

"Return a value" is often used in programming to indicate that a function provides an output. "Produce a result" is a more general phrase that can apply to any process that yields an outcome. You can use alternatives like "yield a result", "provide an output", or "generate a result" depending on the context.

When should I use "return a value" in technical writing?

Use "return a value" when you want to clearly communicate what a function, method, or algorithm outputs. It's especially useful in documentation, API references, and technical explanations where precision is important. For example, "The API call will "return a value" indicating success or failure."

What are some alternatives to using "return a value" in scientific writing?

In scientific writing, you can use more formal alternatives such as "yield a result", "resolve to a value", or "evaluate to a value" to maintain a level of formality and precision. For example, "The simulation "yields a result" consistent with experimental observations."