Problem Solving Algorithms

Problem Solving and Program

The IF…THEN… ELSE… statement

Simulating Decisions
 The IF…THEN… ELSE statement
• Used to simulate choice based on a condition
• The structure:

IF (condition) THEN
Action (if condition is true)
ELSE
Action (if condition fails)
END IF

• The actions between the THEN and ELSE statements

can be any number of statements:
– READ statements
– PRINT statements
– Calculations
– Even other IF statements
 The IF…THEN… ELSE statement:
the structure
The structure:

IF (condition) THEN
Action (if condition is true)
ELSE
Action (if condition fails)
END IF
Flowchart : IF… THEN… ELSE
 The IF…THEN… ELSE statement:
the condition
• Can be any logic test:
– Is the rain falling?
– Is a number greater than another?
– Is a persons name equal to someone else’s name

• May contain two or more logic tests:

– A < B AND B > C
– myName = “Jenoir” OR myName = “Latoya”
– A <= C OR S >= T
• Please note the use of AND and OR
 The IF…THEN… ELSE statement:
the condition
• If the condition is true
– the action(s) after the THEN part is/are executed.

• If the condition is false

– the action(s) after the ELSE part is/are executed.

• END IF – signals the end of the if statement

 The IF…THEN… ELSE statement:
Examples
The example – Real World Scenario:

IF (belly is full) THEN

Stop drinking and eating
ELSE
Drink and eat all night
END IF

• What is the condition?

• What happens if the condition is true?
• What happens if the condition is false?
 The IF…THEN… ELSE statement:
Examples

The example – Real World Scenario:

Sometimes no action needs to be taken if the condition is
false

IF (jar is empty) THEN

Fill with cookies
(ELSE)
END IF

• In this case we have a NULL ELSE statement

– No actions following the else statement
 The IF…THEN… ELSE statement:
Examples
The example – Closer to pseudocode:

IF (A > 10) THEN

PRINT A, “ is greater than 10”
ELSE
Print A, “ is less than 10”
END IF

• What is the condition?

• What happens if the condition is true?
• What happens if the condition is false?
 The IF…THEN… ELSE statement:
Examples
The example – Real World Scenario:

IF (surname = “Prentis”) THEN

Print “ Nicholas is a Prentis”
(ELSE)
END IF

• What is the condition?

• What happens if the condition is true?
• What happens if the condition is false?
 The IF…THEN… ELSE statement:
Examples
The example – Here is a complete code:

PRINT “Please enter first number (press enter after)”

READ Num1
PRINT “Please enter second number (press enter after)”
READ Num2
PRINT “Please enter third number”
READ Num3

IF (Num1 > Num 2 AND Num2 >Num3) THEN

DIFF = Num1 – Num3

ELSE

DIFF = Num2 - Num3

END IF

SUM = Num 1 + Num2 + Num3

Print SUM, DIFF
 CLASS WORK
• Write a structure algorithm to prompt the user to
input the mark the student received in a test. If
the mark is less than 60, output the word “Fail”,
otherwise output the word “Pass”.

• Write a structure algorithm that prompts the user

to input the pass mark and the mark a student
received in a test. Output the word “Fail” or
“Pass” accordingly.

• Write a structured algorithm that prompts the

user to input two unequal values that are stored
in variables A and B. It should print the higher
value.
Problem Solving and Program

Looping statements
Executing steps many times
 Looping
• What if there are a number of steps that must be
done several times, would you re-write those steps
for each time you needed them to be executed?

• What if you wanted to calculate the total of a set of

numbers ( say 15 different numbers), would you
create a variable for each one?

• What if you wanted to perform an operation as long

as a condition exists, how would you know that the
condition continues to exist and perform these loops?

• These are some of the questions that the looping

structure was created to answer.
 Looping

• So what is a Loop?
– Any number of steps that are being executed a
number of times

• How do we govern a loop?

– A condition (or number of conditions)
– A number of times ( iterations )
 Looping
• Real World Examples:
• A Condition
– While my ring is not found, search the house
– While shoes are dirty, buff with cloth

• A number of times
– Scrub floor 10 times for sheen
– Knock door three times
 Pseudo code constructs
• A Condition – The While or Repeat Until Loop
– Condition must be satisfied for loop to continue to
be executed.

• A Number of iterations – The FOR Loop

– A number of exact times for the loop to be
executed
 The FOR loop
• The FOR loop construct syntax (of course this is Pseudo code)

}
FOR <variable> = <beginning value> to <ending value>
Do something
END FOR

Pseudo code:
FOR i = 1 to 5 - loop begins here

ACTION –
this action may be any number of other statements ( IF, PRINT, READ, etc)

NEXT i - tells loop to go to next value of i

END FOR - end the for loop

*Reserved words are in RED

 Pseudo code Example – For loops
START
READ name

FOR i = 1 to 5
PRINT name

NEXT i
END FOR
STOP

• What does the above code do?

• What is the first and last value of the variable i?
• When does the code come stop printing person name?
 The FOR loop – adding steps
• The FOR loop construct syntax (of course this is Pseudo code)

}
FOR <variable> = <beginning value> to <ending value> STEP <incremental value>
Do something
END FOR

Pseudo code:
FOR i = 1 to 10 step 2 - counts by 2: 1 => 1, 3, 5, 7, 9

ACTION –
this action may be any number of other statements ( IF, PRINT, READ, etc)

NEXT i - tells loop to go to next value of i

END FOR - end the for loop

Note that the number after step can be any particular number
even a variable if you so choose
*Reserved words are in RED
 The FOR loop – adding steps
Example:
Print a table to find the square and cube

Pseudo code:
FOR i = 1 to 10 step 2 - counts by 2: 1 => 1, 3, 5, 7, 9

ACTION –
this action may be any number of other statements ( IF, PRINT, READ, etc)

NEXT i - tells loop to go to next value of i

END FOR - end the for loop

Note that the number after step can be any particular

number even a variable if you so choose
*Reserved words are in RED
 Pseudo code Example – For
loops
Print a table finding the square and cube of all even numbers between
2 and 20 inclusive

START
Print “Number”, “Square”, “Cube” {prints the table headings}

FOR i = 2 to 20 STEP 2
Print i , i^2 , i^3

NEXT i
END FOR
STOP

• Notice that the beginning value for the loop is 2 and the ending is 20.
• Notice that the incremental value is 2.
• Try to do a trace table for this example
 Pseudo code Example – For
Try this one :
loops
Print a table finding the square and
cube of all odd numbers between 1
and 20 inclusive
 Pseudo code Example – For
loops
START

FOR i = 0 to 20 STEP 5
Print i

NEXT i
END FOR
STOP

• What does the above code do?

• Notice that the beginning value for the loop is 0 and the ending is 20.
• Notice that the incremental value is 5.
• What will be the various values for i?
 The WHILE loop
• The FOR loop construct syntax (of course this is Pseudo code)

Pseudo code:
a=0
while some condition exists
Change value
END While

- priming the loop

Do something

}
While (a < 10) - starting while loop

ACTION –
this action may be any number of other statements ( IF, PRINT, READ, etc)

a = a +1 - manipulating loop condition

END WHILE - ending while loop

*Reserved words are in RED / IMPORTANT statements

 Pseudo code Example – WHILE loop
START
i=0
READ name
WHILE (i<10)
PRINT name
i=i+1
END WHILE
STOP

• What does the above code do?

• What is the first and last value of the variable i?
• When does the code come stop printing person name?
 Pseudo code Example – WHILE loop
START
READ name
WHILE (name<> “end”)
Print “Hello “, name
Print “Please enter your age”
Read age

If age > 50 then

Print “You qualify for the golden citizen account”
(Else)
EndIf

READ name
END WHILE
STOP

• What does the above code do?

• When does the code come stop?
 The REPEAT…UNTIL loop
• The FOR loop construct syntax (of course this is Pseudo code)

Repeat
Do something
Change value
Until some condition is satisfied

Pseudo code:
a=0
Repeat

ACTION –
this action may be any number of other statements ( IF, PRINT, READ, etc)

a = a +1
Until a = 10

*Reserved words are in RED / IMPORTANT statements

 The REPEAT…UNTIL loop

a=1
Repeat
Read Name, Age
Print “My name is “, Name
Print “I am “, Age
a = a +1
Until a = 10

*Reserved words are in RED / IMPORTANT statements

 The REPEAT…UNTIL loop
Read student_name
Repeat
Read grade_1, grade_2, grade_3
average = (grade_1+ grade_2+ grade_3)/3
Print student_name, “ - “ , average
Read student_name
Until Name = End

*Reserved words are in RED / IMPORTANT statements

 Counting and Running Totals
• One of the most powerful uses of the Loops
• For example:
– What if you wanted to find the sum or average of 30
numbers? Would you use 30 different variables?
– What if the amount of numbers were unknown but
you still have to find their sum or average etc?

– The answer:
• Use a variable to count
• Use a variable to add the numbers as they are entered
 Pseudocode Example – FOR Loops
• Here is a simple example:
– Write a pseudocode to add 10 numbers:

START
sum = 0 {this will store the sum}

FOR i = 1 to 10
READ number
sum = sum + number {remember work out the right hand side first}

NEXT i
END FOR
Print sum
STOP

– NB
– sum = sum + number
• The starting value of sum is 0. therefore if we entered 10 for the number
then we would have
– sum = 0 + 10.
• At which point sum now becomes 10
 Pseudocode Example – FOR Loops
• Here is a simple example:
– Write a pseudocode to find the average 10 numbers:

START
sum = 0
average =0 {this will store the sum}

FOR i = 1 to 10
READ number
sum = sum + number {remember work out the right hand side first}

NEXT i
END FOR
average = sum / 10
PRINT average
STOP

– NB
• average = sum / 10
– Note that the average has to calculate after the sum
WHAT IF YOU WERE UNCERTAIN
ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF
NUMBERS TO BE ENTERED?