The Function Subprogram should be your choice when evaluation of the function takes more than one line of Fortran or the function is referenced from many places in your program, and size of your executable program is important. I am including liberal use of the line continuation option (character in column 6) in my definition of "one line of Fortran". It is not difficult to generate functions that need some IF tests to cover special cases or error processing (see viscl.f). These must be Function Subprograms. As for the space issue, you need to understand how each of these function types are implemented in machine code. The machine instructions for a Function Subprogram exist at only one location in the final executable code. When the Function Subprogram is referenced somewhere, some notes are made about the location of information and the location where program execution will continue after return from the function, then the flow of instruction execution branches to the Function Subprogram's code. All of this takes some extra computer time beyond what would be needed if the Function's programming was just imbedded in the rest of the code, but generally takes less space.

When a statement function is referenced an interesting thing happens at compilation time. The statement function basically disappears from the final executable machine code. If I write the following Fortran, with the first line as a statement function:

g(x,a,b)=a*x+b

x=1.0

y=2.0

z=g(x,2.,3.)+g(y,4.,1.)

then what is effectively generated after the compiler is through is the machine code equivalent to:

x=1.0

y=1.0

z=2.*x+3.+4.*y+1.

No branches are generated to statement function coding, the statement function is substituted into the locations where it is referenced. This results in code that takes less time to execute than code using an equivalent Function Subprogram, but when used too frequently with long functions can produce longer executable files than you want.

If you have the better answer, then send it to us. We will display your answer after the approval.
Rules to Post Answers in CoolInterview.com:-

There should not be any Spelling Mistakes.

There should not be any Gramatical Errors.

Answers must not contain any bad words.

Answers should not be the repeat of same answer, already approved.

Answer should be complete in itself.

Name :*
Email Id :*
Answer :*
Verification Code	Not readable? Load New Code
Enter the above shown code:*
	Inform me about updated answers to this question