# Function Arguments - Question

**URL:** <https://forum.kx.com/t/function-arguments-question/8259>\
**Category:** Community Support\
**Tags:** kdb-and-q\
**Created:** [June 9, 2013, 9:36am UTC](https://forum.kx.com/t/function-arguments-question/8259 "2013-06-09T09:36:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Rory\_Winston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e99b99/32.png) [@Rory\_Winston](https://forum.kx.com/u/Rory_Winston)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2013, 9:36am UTC](https://forum.kx.com/t/function-arguments-question/8259/1 "2013-06-09T09:36:00Z")

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Hi guys

May be missing something obvious here:

But given&nbsp;

q)z:{x[2]}

q)z

2

q)z:{x[2]}

q)z

2

q)z:{x 2}

q)z

2

q)type z

-7h

What gives ? x is not defined anywhere…where is the scalar return type coming from (a nonexistent argument)?

q)x

'x

Cheers

– Rory

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**Author:** ![wp1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/db5fbb/32.png) [@wp1](https://forum.kx.com/u/wp1)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2013, 9:39am UTC](https://forum.kx.com/t/function-arguments-question/8259/2 "2013-06-09T09:39:00Z")

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x in your case is (::) … as you are passing nothing.

so (::) 2 returns 2

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**Author:** ![manni\_patel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@manni\_patel](https://forum.kx.com/u/manni_patel)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2013, 11:05am UTC](https://forum.kx.com/t/function-arguments-question/8259/3 "2013-06-09T11:05:00Z")

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The implicit parameter is identity (::)

q)z:{(::)~x}

q)z

1b

q){(::)[2]}

2