In Python programming, functions often need to return multiple values to the caller. While you can return these values individually or pack them into a data structure like a list or dictionary, using tuples as return values offers a clean and efficient solution.
In this article, we’ll explore the concept of using tuples as return values in Python, along with practical examples to illustrate their benefits.
Introduction to Tuples as Return Values
Tuples are immutable collections of objects, allowing you to group multiple values together into a single entity. This property makes tuples ideal for representing fixed collections of data, such as the return values of functions.
Example Scenario
Let’s consider a simple scenario where a function needs to calculate both the area and perimeter of a rectangle and return these values to the caller.
def calculate_rectangle_properties(length, width):
area = length * width
perimeter = 2 * (length + width)
return area, perimeter