Mathematics: Does a function in mathematics change anything. For instance: take the function ()+3. If the input is 2 and the output is 5 for this function, then is 5 'derived' from 2 and the function ()+3? Is the input 2 or the funtion ()+3 changed in any way? or is this strictly an assignment, i.e. 2 is assigned 5 3 is assigned 6, etc. Let's take a another example, If I change the color of an object, I really apply a function to the property of that object. For instance, say I have a red ball. I add some yellow and make the color of the ball orange. Have I changed the property of color or have I changed the ball? If I apply the function AddYellow() to the color of the ball, my input is red, AddYellow() is applied, and I get the result Orange. Is this a change or an assignment from red to orange. Specifically, does the value of the ball change or the ball itself because of the function assignment of the value of the ball. How can an assignment change anything?