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how to write structured programs Craig’n’Dave
Craig’n’Dave

TRY
Sample program:
# My first program

# Subroutine to output text

def OutputText():
print("Hello World")

# Main program
OutputText()

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Understand how the code works: • Programs should start with a comment stating the purpose of the program.
• Comments are identified with the hash # symbol.
# My first program

# Subroutine to output text

def OutputText(): • Programs should be structured into sections of code called subroutines.
print("Hello World") • Subroutines are identified with the def keyword.
• Each subroutine should start with a comment to explain what it does.
# Main program
OutputText()
• The program actually starts to run from here.
• OutputText() means run the code inside the subroutine called OutputText.

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Sample program:
# Using variables and constants

# Subroutine to calculate price

def Discount(Total, Rate):
return Total - (Total * Rate/100)

# Main program
print(Discount(60,50))

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INVESTIGATE This program calculates a price by applying a percentage discount.

Understand how the code works:

# Using variables and constants

# Subroutine to calculate price 2. The number 60 is put into Total. The number 50 is put into Rate.
def Discount(Total, Rate): These are known as variables – the name for a piece of memory to store our data.
return Total - (Total * Rate/100)

# Main program 3. The calculation happens here with the result being returned from the subroutine.
print(Discount(60,50))

4. The retuned result from Discount is output to the screen.

1. The program starts here by running the subroutine called Discount.

Discount needs two pieces of data. The price and the percentage discount separated by a comma.
Because these values can never change when the program is running, they are known as constants.
START
HERE

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Sample program:
# Using variables and constants

# Subroutine to calculate flow rate of the heart

def FlowRate(Volume, Time):
return Volume / Time

# Main program
Volume = 330
Time = 4
Heart = FlowRate(Volume, Time)
print("The flow rate of the human heart is", Heart, "ml/s")

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INVESTIGATE This program calculates the flow rate of blood from the heart.

Understand how the code works:

# Using variables and constants

# Subroutine to calculate price These variables called Volume and Time are different variables to Volume
def FlowRate(Volume, Time): and Time in the Main program. They just happen to have the same name!
return Volume / Time

# Main program You can store the values of constants with meaningful names.
Volume = 330 Note the use of comments helps to explain the units here too.
Time = 4
Heart = FlowRate(Volume, Time)
print("The flow rate of the human heart is", Heart, "ml/s")

You can join a string to a variable. This is called concatenation.

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INVESTIGATE
Learning points from this objective:
• Programs are structured into smaller subroutines.
• Subroutines that do not return any values are called procedures. Subroutines that return values are called functions.
• Code inside subroutines is tabulated. This helps to make it more readable, but it also tells the computer what code belongs to the subroutine.
• Comments are used at the beginning of programs and subroutines to explain their purpose.
Larger programs are often written by teams of programmers, so this helps other people understand your code and for you to remember how it worked too!
• Keywords are the words that the programming language uses for instructions. E.g. print. Keywords are also called reserved words because you cannot use
them for other purposes in your program. e.g. you cannot call a subroutine print.
• Python is case sensitive. This means that keywords must be entered in the correct case.
• Text in a program is called a string. It is a string of characters.
• Strings are qualified with double quote marks. E.g. “This is a string” to show where the text starts and ends.
• Constants are values in a program that can only be changed by the programmer. The program does not change them when it is running.
• Variables are places in memory where values are stored. They are given an identifier to name them.
• Variables have a data type that describes the data they are storing, e.g. string, float etc. This reserves the correct amount of memory for the data.
Specifying the data type is not necessary in Python.
• The name of a variable is called an identifier.
• Different variables can have the same identifier in different subroutines.
• When variables are given a value they are said to be assigned. Giving a variable an initial value is called initialising the variable.

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Learning points from this objective:
• Strings can be joined to variables. This is known as concatenation.
• When constants or variables are used as data given to subroutines, this is called parameter passing. The data is called a parameter.
• Running a program is called executing a program. Executing one command after another is called a sequence.
• If a program doesn’t work, it is said to have a “bug”. Fixing bugs is called, “debugging”.

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Program comprehension: ITEM Identify a string in the program.

1. def Sq(X):
2. return X * X
Identify the name of a subroutine in the program.
3. 9 = A
4. print(A,"squared:",Sq(A))

STRUCTURE Debug line 3.

Identify the line where the number 9 is squared.

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Program comprehension: PURPOSE What is the purpose of the comma , in line 4?

1. def Sq(X):
2. return X * X
What does the command print in line 4 do?
3. 9 = A
4. print(A,"squared:",Sq(A))

REASON Why is a double quote " needed around squared in line 4?

Why does X have the same value as A?

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Keywords introduced in this objective:
def subroutine() Starts and names a new subroutine.

X = "Hello" Assigns X to be the string “Hello”.

X = 6 Assigns X to hold the value 6.
return X Returns a value X from the subroutine into another function or variable.
return X,Y More than one value can be returned if separated with commas.
X = Subroutine(y,z) Assigns X to the returned value from Subroutine, passing Y and Z as data parameters.
Y and Z are optional. Subroutines accept zero or more parameters of any data type.
X,Y = Subroutine(Z) It is possible to return multiple values.
print("string") Outputs text string to the screen.

print("string", X) Outputs text string concatenated with X to the screen. A comma inserts a space in-between.
Using + instead does not insert a space.
print("Hello",end="") Using end="" prevents a new line between print statements.
print("World")

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# Dice face 5 problem

Dice face 5 problem: # Subroutine to output text

1 point.
Write a subroutine that will output the number 5 on a dice like this: print("ooooooooooo")

ooooooooooo
o o def Output5():
o # # o
o # o print("o # o")
o # # o
o o
ooooooooooo print("o # # o")

Output5(
)
print("o # # o")

print("o o")

# Main program

print("ooooooooooo")

print("o o")
To help you get started,
here is all the code you
need with the
statements jumbled up.
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# Temperature converter problem

Temperature converter problem:

# Subroutine to convert Centigrade to Fahrenheit
1 point.
Write two subroutines that convert between centigrade and def FtoC(F):
Fahrenheit using the formula: F = (C * 1.8) + 32
One subroutine takes the temperature in degrees centigrade
as a parameter and returns Fahrenheit. def CtoF(C):
The second subroutine takes the temperature in degrees
Fahrenheit as a parameter and returns centigrade.
# Main program
E.g. 30°C = 86°F
(30°C * 1.8) + 32 = 86°F
C = 30

F = CtoF(C)

# Subroutine to convert Fahrenheit to Centigrade

return (C * 1.8) + 32

return (F – 32) / 1.8

print(C,"degrees C is",F,"degrees F")

To help you get started,
here is all the code you
need with the
statements jumbled up.
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Characters problem:
1 point.
Write a program to produce the following output:
The digits are: 0123456789
The characters are: abcdABCD@#!£
The alphanumerics are: 0123456789 abcdABCD@#!£

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Fish tank volume problem:
2 points.
Write a subroutine that will output the volume of a fish tank. To calculate volume in litres, multiply length by depth by height and divide
by 1000.

Microscopy problem:
2 points.
The actual size of a cell viewed under a light microscope is 80μm (micrometres). It measures 4cm on the slide. Calculate the
magnification.
The size on the slide multiplied by 10,000 converts the measurement to μm. Divide this by the actual size to determine the magnification.

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Carpet cost problem:
2 points.
Write a subroutine that outputs the cost of fitting a carpet using 3 parameters:
• Width of the room in metres.
• Length of the room in metres.
• Price of carpet per m2.
Underlay for the carpet will also be required at £3 per m 2.
Grippers will be required at £1/m: width * 2 + length * 2
The fitting fee is £50.
Test the program with a 7 x 6m room and a £17m 2 carpet.
E.g. 7m x 6m room with a £17 carpet = £714 + £126 + £26 + £50 = £916

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Energy bill calculator problem:
3 points.
Write a subroutine that will output the raw cost of energy usage by taking three parameters: previous meter reading, current reading and
calorific value.
The units used equals the current reading minus the previous reading.
kWh = units used * 1.022 * calorific value divided by 3.6.
The calorific value varies a little by each supplier, are governed by legislation and provided by the National Grid. Assume a value of 39.3.
Energy is charged at 2.84p per kWh.
You do not need to format the output because the result is the input to further calculations.

Circle properties problem:

3 points.
Write a subroutine that outputs the following properties of a circle

us
sector arc length
from the diameter and arc angle:

i
rad
• The radius of the circle (diameter divided by 2). arc angle

• The area of the circle (3.14 multiplied by the radius squared). diameter

nce
ere
• The circumference of the circle (3.14 multiplied by the diameter).

mf
• The arc length (circumference multiplied by the arc angle), divided by 360.

u
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Ball pit problem:
3 points.
The number of balls needed to fill a children’s ball pit can be calculated as: the volume of the ball pit divided by the volume of a single
ball multiplied by the packing density.
The packing density is generally 0.75.
The volume of the ball pit is calculated as: Pi (3.14) * radius 2 * height of the ball pit.
The volume of a ball is calculated as: (4/3) * Pi (3.14) * radius 3.
Write a function to return the volume of the ball pit from two parameters: ball pit radius and ball pit height.
Write a function to return the volume of a ball from one parameter: ball radius.
The program should output the number of balls required to fill a pit with a radius of 1m and height of 0.2m using 0.05m balls.

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EVALUATE
Review your solutions:
Did you: Self-assess: Yes/No

Complete all the requirements for the problems you solved?

Start your programs with a comment to describe what they do?

Use a subroutine for the main algorithm in your code?

Use a comment to describe what the subroutine does?

Use variable names that describe the data they hold?

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