Conditional statement

The ability to control the flow of your program, letting it make decisions on what
code to execute, is valuable to the programmer. The if statement allows you to control if
a program enters a section of code or not based on whether a given condition is true or
false. One of the important functions of the if statement is that it allows the program to
select an action based upon the user's input. For example, by using an if statement to
check a user-entered password, your program can decide whether a user is allowed
access to the program.

An if statement consists of a Boolean expression (condition) followed by one or

more statements:

if (condition) statement; if (condition)

{
statement_1;
. . .
statement_n;
}

If the condition evaluates to true, then the if block will be executed

true false true false

condition condition

statement statement_1

statement_n

The next program prints "Less than 10" if the input value of x is less than 10. If
the value of x is greater or equal to 10, nothing will be printed.
#include <stdio.h>

int x;

int main(void)
{
scanf("%d", &x);
if (x < 10) printf("Less than 10\n");
return 0;
}
 Real world expression C notation
if x  4 , then . . . if (x > 4) . . .
if x  4 , then . . . if (x >= 4) . . .
if x  6 , then . . . if (x < 6) . . .
if x  6 , then . . . if (x <= 6) . . .
if x  7 , then . . . if (x == 7) . . .
if x  9 , then . . . if (x != 9) . . .

Consider some samples of conditional statements:

if (x <= 0) y = x + 2; if x is less or equal to 0, assign

to y the value of x + 2
if (a == b) y = a + b; if a and b are equal, assign to y
the sum of a and b
if (x != a + 3) y = a; if x does not equal to a + 3, assign
to y the value of a

An if statement can be followed by an optional else statement, which executes

when the condition is false:

if (condition)
statement_1;
else
statement_2;

If the condition evaluates to true, then the if block will be executed, otherwise,
the else block will be executed.

true false
condition

statement_1 statement_2

#include <stdio.h>

int main(void)
{
int a = 10, b = 4;
printf("a = %d, b = %d\n",a,b);

// greater than example

if (a > b)
printf("a is greater than b\n");
else
printf("a is less than or equal to b\n");
 // lesser than equal to
if (a <= b)
printf("a is lesser than or equal to b\n");
else
printf("a is greater than b\n");

// not equal to
if (a != b)
printf("a is not equal to b\n");
else
printf("a is equal b\n");

return 0;
}

The next program evaluates the expression:

 x  4, x  0
y=  2
x , x  0
#include <stdio.h>

int x, y;

int main(void)
{
scanf("%d", &x);
if (x < 0) y = x + 4; else y = x * x;
printf("%d\n",y);
return 0;
}

E-OLYMP 8520. Conditional statement - 1 Find the value of y according to

condition:
 x 2  3x  4, x  5
y
x  7, x  5
► Use conditional statement. As -1000 ≤ x ≤ 1000, int type is enough.

E-OLYMP 8521. Conditional statement - 2 Find the value of y according to

condition:

 x  5 x, x  10
3
y 2

 x  2 x  4, x  10
► Use conditional statement. As x ≤ 10000 = 104, then x3 ≤ 1012. So we need to
use long long type.
 E-OLYMP 8612. Conditional statement - 4 Find the value of y according to
condition:

 x  2 x  4 x  6, x  0
3 2
y 3

 x  7 x, x  0
► Use conditional statement.

E-OLYMP 8613. Conditional statement - 5 Find the value of y according to

condition:

3x  4 x  5 x  6, x  13
3 2
y 3

3x  2 x  3x  4, x  13
2

► Use conditional statement.

E-OLYMP 2606. Minimum and maximum Find minimum and maximum

between two positive integers.
► Use conditional statement to compare a and b. If a < b, then print the numbers
in the order a, b. Otherwise print b, a.

E-OLYMP 8611. Water and Ice The temperature of the air is t degrees. Print
“Water” if t is positive and “Ice” otherwise.
► If t > 0 print “Water”, otherwise print “Ice”.

A conditional branch is a statement that causes the program to change the path of
execution based on the value of an expression. Consider the following program:
int main(void)
{ A
// do A
if (condition) true false
// do B condition
else
// do C C
B
// do D
return 0;
} D

This program has two possible paths. If condition evaluates to true, the
program will execute A, B, and D. If condition evaluates to false, the program will
execute A, C, and D. As you can see, this program is no longer a straight-line program –
its path of execution depends on the value of expression.
 Logical Operators are used to combine two or more conditions/constraints or to
complement the evaluation of the original condition in consideration.
operator C notation
x and y x && y
x or y x || y
not x !x
x xor y x^y
 Logical AND: The ‘&&’ operator returns true when both the conditions in
consideration are satisfied. Otherwise it returns false. For example, a && b returns
true when both a and b are true (i.e. non-zero).
 Logical OR: The ‘||’ operator returns true when one (or both) of the conditions in
consideration is satisfied. Otherwise it returns false. For example, a || b returns true
if one of a or b is true (i.e. non-zero). Of course, it returns true when both a and b
are true.
 Logical NOT: The ‘!’ operator returns true the condition in consideration is not
satisfied. Otherwise it returns false. For example, !a returns true if a is false, i.e.
when a = 0.

The truth tables for logical operators are given below:

x y x and y x y x or y x not x x y x xor y

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
0 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 1
1 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0

a && b a || b a

a b b

Check if the value x  (1; 5):

if (x > 1 && x < 5) ...

Check if the value x  (-∞; 1]  [5; +∞):

if (x <= 1 || x >= 5) ...

Check if the value x  {3, 4, 8}:

if (x == 3 || x == 4 || x == 8) ...

Check if the value of variables a, b, c are the same:

if (a == b && b == c)
 E-OLYMP 8614. Inside the interval Determine whether the number x belongs to
the interval [a; b]. Number x belongs to the interval [a; b] if a ≤ x ≤ b.
► In C language its not possible to write a condition a ≤ x ≤ b directly. Use and
(&&) notation for conditions a ≤ x and x ≤ b.

E-OLYMP 8615. Outside the interval Determine whether the number x is

located outside the interval [a; b]. Number x is located outside the interval [a; b] if
either x < a or x > b.
► Use or (||) notation for conditions x < a and x > b.

In C language 0 is false. Everything not 0 is true. For example, the condition

if (x != 0)
is equivalent to
if (x)

#include <stdio.h>

int main(void)
{
if (56) printf("true\n"); // 56 is true
if (6 - 6) printf("true\n"); // 0 is false
else printf("false\n");
return 0;
}

In C language false in mathematical expression is evaluated to 0, true is evaluated

to 1.

#include <stdio.h>

int main(void)
{
int x = (3 < 6) + (3 == 6) + (3 > 6);
// x = 1 + 0 + 0 = 1
int y = (5 != 6) + (5 <= 6) + true + false + (false < true);
// y = 1 + 1 + 1 + 0 + 1 = 4
printf("%d %d\n", x, y); // 1 4
return 0;
}

Example. Evaluate the expression:

 x  4, x  0
y=  2
x , x  0
#include <stdio.h>

int main(void)
{
int x = 5, y;
y = (x + 4) * (x < 0) + x * x * (x >= 0);
printf("%d\n", y);
return 0;
}
 E-OLYMP 8873. One-digit number Integer n is given. Print Ok, if n is one-digit
number and No otherwise.
► n is one-digit number if -9 ≤ n ≤ 9. Implement this condition.

Compound Conditional Statement

Check if triangle with sides a, b, c is right (use Pythagorean theorem: the sum of
squares of two sides equals to the square of the third side):
if ((a * a + b * b == c * c) ||
(a * a + c * c == b * b) ||
(b * b + c * c == a * a))

Check if there exists a non degenerate triangle with sides a, b, c (the sum of any
two sides must be more than the third side):
if (a < b + c && b < a + c && c < a + b)

E-OLYMP 8372. Create a triangle Can we construct a triangle from segments of

length a, b, c?
► The triangle is non-degenerative if the sum of any two sides is more than the
third side.

E-OLYMP 915. Rectangular or not? There is a triangle with sides a, b, c. Is this

triangle rectangular?
► The triangle is rectangular if the sum of squares of two sides equals to the
square of the third side (Pythagorean theorem).

E-OLYMP 8874. Two-digit number Integer n is given. Print Ok, if n is two-digit

number and No otherwise.
► n is two-digit number if -99 ≤ n ≤ -10 or 10 ≤ n ≤ 99. We need to write the
compound condition:
if ((n >= -99 && n <= -10) || (n >= 10 && n <= 99))

E-OLYMP 6278. City numbers Determine if the houses with numbers n and m
are located on one side of the street.
► The answer is affirmative if n and m have the same parity: either both even or
both odd. The conditional statement looks like:
if ((n is even and m is even) || (n is odd and m is odd))
Second solution is based on the fact that two numbers have the same parity if their
sum is even.
if ((n + m) % 2 == 0)

E-OLYMP 8864. Numbers of the same sign Determine if numbers n and m have
the same sign.
► Numbers n and m have the same sign if either they both positive or both
negative. This condition can be simplified: the answer is affirmative if the product of n
and m is positive.
 Let we have if statement with multiple conditions united with and (&&) operation:
if (cond1 && cond2 && cond3 && . . . && condn)
Overall condition is true, if all condi are true. Conditions are evaluated from left to
right. If some condition condi is false, the rest conditions condi+1, …, condn are not
evaluated.

Example. If statement has 3 conditions. It is evaluated in the next way:

 a++ > 0, first we check if a > 0 (5 > 0, true), then increase a by 1, a = 6;
 a++ > 10, first we check if a > 10 (6 > 0, false), then increase a by 1, a = 7;
 because the previous condition if false, we stop and do not evaluate the next
condition.

#include <stdio.h>

int a = 5;

int main(void)
{
if (a++ > 0 && a++ > 10 && a++ > 0)
printf("YES\n");
else
printf("NO\n");

printf("%d\n", a); // a = 7
return 0;
}

The same rule holds if multiple condition are united with or ( || ) operation
if (cond1 || cond2 || cond3 || . . . || condn)
Overall condition is true, if at least one condi is true. Conditions are evaluated
from left to right. If some condition condi is true, the rest conditions condi+1, …, condn
are not evaluated.

Example. If statement has 4 conditions. It is evaluated in the next way:

 a++ > 10, first we check if a > 10 (5 > 10, false), then increase a by 1, a = 6;
 a++ > 10, first we check if a > 10 (6 > 10, false), then increase a by 1, a = 7;
 a++ > 0, first we check if a > 0 (7 > 0, true), then increase a by 1, a = 8;
 because the previous condition if true, we stop and do not evaluate the next
condition.

#include <stdio.h>

int a = 5;

int main(void)
{
if (a++ > 10 || a++ > 10 || a++ > 0 || a++ > 0)
printf("YES\n");
else
printf("NO\n");
 printf("%d\n", a); // a = 8
return 0;
}

Using if with multiple statements

Note that the if statement only executes a single statement if the expression is true,
and the else only executes a single statement if the expression is false. In order to
execute multiple statements, we can use a block:
#include <stdio.h>

int main(void)
{
int x;
scanf("%d",&x);
if (x < 10)
{
printf("You entered %d\n",x);
printf("%d is less than 10\n",x);
}
else
{
printf("You entered %d\n",x);
printf("%d is not less than 10\n",x);
}
return 0;
}

Chaining if statements
It is possible to chain if-else statements together:
 x  1, x  0

y ( x)   x 2 ,0  x  10
 x  4, x  10

#include <stdio.h>

double x, y;

int main(void)
{
scanf("%lf", &x);
if (x < 0) y = x + 1; else
if (x < 10) y = x * x; else y = x - 4;
printf("%lf\n", y);
return 0;
}
 E-OLYMP 8526. Conditional statement - 3 Find the value of y according to
condition:
 x  5, x  4

y   x 2  3 x,  4  x  7
 3
 x  2 x, x  7
► Use chained if-else statements.

E-OLYMP 8608. sgn function Find the value of sgn function:

1 , x  0

sgn( x)  0, x  0
 1, x  0

► Use chained if-else statements.
The problem can also be solved in the next way:
y = 1 * (x > 0) + 0 * (x == 0) + (-1) * (x < 0);
or
y = (x > 0) - (x < 0);
For example, if
 x is positive, then y = 1 – 0 = 1;
 x = 0, then y = 0 – 0 = 0;
 x is negative, then y = 0 – 1 = -1;

Nesting if statements
It is also possible to nest if statements within other if statements.

Three numbers are given. Find and print the maximum among them.
#include <stdio.h>

int a, b, c, max;

int main(void)
{
scanf("%d %d %d",&a,&b,&c);
if (a > b)
if (c > a) max = c; else max = a;
else
if (c > b) max = c; else max = b;
printf("%d\n",max);
return 0;
}

Divisibility
Number x is divisible by 2 if the remainder after dividing x by 2 is 0:
#include <stdio.h>

int x;
 int main(void)
{
scanf("%d", &x);
if (x % 2 == 0)
printf("%d is even\n",x);
else
printf("%d is odd\n",x);
return 0;
}

Check if the number x is divisible by a and by b:

if (x % a == 0 && x % b == 0)

E-OLYMP 8371. Even or Odd Given positive integer n. Determine is it even or

odd.
► n is even if it is divisible by 2.

E-OLYMP 8522. Divisibility Given positive integers a and b. Check if a is

divisible by b.
► a is divisible by b means that the remainder after dividing a by b is 0.

E-OLYMP 8531. Divisibility by numbers Given positive integer n. Is is divisible

simultaneously by a and by b?
► Use and (&&) for conditions that n is divisible by a and n is divisible by b.

Minimum and maximum

Write a code to find the maximum of four numbers a, b, c, d.
Let res = max(a, b, c, d). Assign initially a to res. Then compare each of the next
numbers with res. If some number is greater than res, update res.
#include <stdio.h>

int a, b, c, d, res;

int main(void)
{
scanf("%d %d %d %d",&a,&b,&c,&d);
res = a;
if (b > res) res = b;
if (c > res) res = c;
if (d > res) res = d;
printf("%d\n",res);
return 0;
}

E-OLYMP 7812. Maximum among four numbers Four numbers a, b, c, d are

given. Find the maximum among them.
► Let res be the maximum. Initialize res with a. Compare b, c and d with res and
update res.
 E-OLYMP 3867. Lazy Misha Three integers t1, t2, t3 are given. Find the
minimum among them.
► Use conditional statement to find minimum among three numbers.

Ceiling & floor operations

If x and y are integers, the floor operation x / y  is just simply x / y (integer
division). For example 15 / 4 = 3, 15 / 7 = 2.
The ceiling operation can be calculated like x / y  = ( x  y  1) / y  . Another way
to find res = x / y  is:
 assign res = x / y;
 if x is not divisible by y, add 1 to res: if (x % y > 0) res++;
#include <stdio.h>

int x, y, res;

int main(void)
{
x = 16; y = 3;
res = x / y;
if (x % y > 0) res++;
printf("%d\n",res); // ceil(x/y)
return 0;
}

Сeiling operation can be written in C like

x / y  = x / y + bool(x % y),
where bool(x) equals to
 0 (false), if x = 0;
 1 (true), if x ≠ 0;

Conditional ?: operator
The ternary operator (?:) is a very useful conditional expression used in C. It's
effects are similar to the if statement but with some major advantages.

The basic syntax of using the ternary operator is thus:

(condition) ? (if_true) : (if_false)

Which is basically the same as:

if (condition)
if_true;
else
if_false;

The value of a ?: expression is determined like this: condition is evaluated. If it is

true, then if_true is evaluated and becomes the value of the entire ?: expression. If
condition is false, then if_false is evaluated and its value becomes the value of the
expression.
The ?: is called a ternary operator because it requires three operands and can be
used to replace if-else statements.

For example, consider the following code:

if (y < 10)
var = 30;
else
var = 40;

Above code can be rewritten like this:

var = (y < 10) ? 30 : 40;
Here var is assigned the value of 30 if y is less than 10 and 40 if it is not.

Let’s evaluate the expression

 x  4, x  0
y=  2
x , x  0
using the ?: operator:
#include <stdio.h>

int x, y;

int main(void)
{
scanf("%d", &x);
y = (x < 0) ? x + 4 : x * x;
printf("%d\n",y);
return 0;
}

Find the minimum and maximum of two numbers:

#include <stdio.h>

int a, b, min, max;

int main(void)
{
scanf("%d %d",&a,&b);
min = (a < b) ? a : b;
max = (a > b) ? a : b;
printf("%d %d\n",min,max);
return 0;
}

QUIZ

1. What is the output of following program?

#include <stdio.h>

int main(void)
{
int a = 5;
if (a > 10) printf("YES ");
else printf("NO ");
printf("%d\n", a);
return 0;
}

2. What is the output of following program?

#include <stdio.h>

int main(void)
{
int a = 5, b = 10;
if (a++ + ++b >= 16) printf("%d\n", a + b);
else printf("%d\n", a * b);
return 0;
}