"""Local variables"""

# When you create a local variable inside a function, it only exists 
# inside the function, and you cannot use it outside.

# also, modifying a parameter does not affect the variable that 
# was passed into the function

# for example:

def test_locality(var1, var2) :

    print "in the method 'test_locality'"
    print "var1", var1, "var2", var2
    print "after modifying the variables"
    var1 = 100
    var2 = 'python'
    print "var1", var1, "var2", var2

var1 = 1
var2 = "a string"
print "var1", var1, "var2", var2
test_locality(var1, var2)
print "back in main"
print "var1", var1, "var2", var2

# although the variables have the same name, they are different
# instances