[split] SyntaxError: invalid syntax

[Larz60+]

when pasting in the interactive interrupter, you must do it line by line, making sure
lines are indented properly. works just fine if you do this:

>>> numcalls = 0
>>> def square(x):
...     global numcalls
...     numcalls = numcalls + 1
...     return x * x
...
>>> d = square(5)
>>> d
25
>>>