C++ example template incorrect?

#1

Ok, so here is the example given for how to create a template in C++:

template
void print_cat_ears(T item) {
std::cout << " " << item << " " << item << " " << “\n”;
std::cout << item << item << item << " " << item << item << item << “\n”;
}

However, in the exercise accompanying this lesson, in place of void for the function, it is T.
Can you use void as well or in order for a template to work should you also use T there?
Thank you for any help!

#2

A template defines a generic type - we don’t know what type it will be

template  < typename T>
T add(T a, T b) {
    return a+b;
}

template <typename T>
void print_add(T a, T b) {
    std::cout << a+b;
}

T means some sort of generic data type - could be an integer, a float, a character
void means - this function does not return any sort of data type!

the function add takes two generic arguments a and b
add(3,4)
Compiler: ok two integers - lets add them and return an integer
it returns the implied datatype integer with the value 7
add(3.0, 4.0)
Compiler: ok two floats - lets add them and return a float
it returns the implied datatype float with the value 7.0

the function print_add is Void it doesn’t return any value it just prints the result of adding two T’s to the screen

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