Functions

Default Arguments

This is a follow up to Use and Modify.

Allowing a and b to be passed as arguments to get_mass_from_length() made the function more flexible, but for some types of dinosaurs we don’t have specific values of a and b and so we have to use general values that can be applied to a number of different species.

Set default values for a and b of a = 39.9 and b = 2.6 (the average values from Seebacher 2001).

1. Use this function to estimate the mass of a Sauropoda (a = 214.44, b = 1.46) that is 22 m long (by setting a and b when calling the function).
2. Use this function to estimate the mass of a dinosaur from an unknown taxonomic group that is 16m long (by not setting a and b so that the default values are used).

[click here for output]