- (void)parentFunction {
    int i = 0;
    [self modifyValueOfPassedArgument:i];
    //i == 0 still!
}

- (void)modifyValueOfPassedArgument:(NSInteger)j {
    //j == 0! but j is a copied variable. It is _NOT_ i
    j = 23;
    //j now == 23, but this hasn't changed the value of i.
}
If you wanted to be able to modify i, you would have to pass the value of the reference by doing the following:

- (void)parentFunction {
    int i = 0; //Stack allocated. Kept it that way for sake of simplicity
    [self modifyValueOfPassedReference:&i];
    //i == 23!
}

- (void)modifyValueOfPassedReference:(NSInteger *)j {
    //j == 0, and this points to i! We can modify i from here.
    *j = 23;
    //j now == 23, and i also == 23!
}