Computer Programming:

Flowchart
Asst. Prof. Dr. Yalçın İşler
Izmir Katip Celebi University
 What is flowchart
A diagram that uses graphic symbols to depict the
nature and flow of the steps in a process.

Benefits of Using Flowcharts:

• Promotes understanding of a process
• Identifies problem areas and opportunities for
process improvement
• Provides a way of training employees
• Depicts customer-supplier relationships
 Flowchart building blocks
• A typical flowchart from older basic computer
science textbooks may have the following
kinds of symbols:
• Start and end symbols: Represented as circles,
ovals or rounded rectangles, usually
containing the word "Start" or "End", or
another phrase signaling the start or end of a
process / procedure / subprogram.
 Flowchart building blocks
• Arrows: Showing "flow of control". An arrow coming from one
symbol and ending at another symbol represents that control
passes to the symbol the arrow points to.

• Generic processing steps: Represented as rectangles. Examples:

"Add 1 to X"; "replace identified part"; "save changes" or similar.

• Calling Subroutines: Represented as rectangles with double-struck

vertical edges; these are used to show complex processing steps
which may be detailed in a separate flowchart. Example: Process-
files. One subroutine may have multiple distinct entry points or exit
flows (see coroutine); if so, these are shown as labeled 'wells' in the
rectangle, and control arrows connect to these 'wells'.
 Flowchart building blocks
• Input/Output: Represented as a parallelogram. Examples: Get X from the user; display X.

• Prepare conditional: Represented as a hexagon. Shows operations which have no effect other than
preparing a value for a subsequent conditional or decision step (see below).

• Conditional or decision: Represented as a diamond (rhombus) showing where a decision is

necessary, commonly a Yes/No question or True/False test. The conditional symbol is peculiar in
that it has two arrows coming out of it, usually from the bottom point and right point, one
corresponding to Yes or True, and one corresponding to No or False. (The arrows should always be
labeled.) More than two arrows can be used, but this is normally a clear indicator that a complex
decision is being taken, in which case it may need to be broken-down further or replaced with the
"pre-defined process" symbol.

• Junction symbol: Generally represented with a black blob, showing where multiple control flows
converge in a single exit flow. A junction symbol will have more than one arrow coming into it, but
only one going out. In simple cases, one may simply have an arrow point to another arrow instead.
These are useful to represent an iterative process (what in Computer Science is called a loop). A
loop may, for example, consist of a connector where control first enters, processing steps, a
conditional with one arrow exiting the loop, and one going back to the connector. For additional
clarity, wherever two lines accidentally cross in the drawing, one of them may be drawn with a
small semicircle over the other, showing that no junction is intended.
Flowchart Template, 1969@IBM
 Start

Triangle’s base width, w

Example:
Calculating the Triangle’s height, h

area of a Area = h * w / 2

triangle
Triangle’s area is = Area

Finish
 Start
Example:
Calculating the Numbers, n1, n2, n3

average of 3
Avg = (n1+n2+n3) / 3
numbers given
from the The average is = Avg

keyboard
Finish
 Start
Example:
Calculating the Mid-term exam score, m

overall score
from given Final exam score, f

mid-term Score = m * 0.4 + f * 0.6

(%40) and final

(%60) exam Overall score is = Score

scores
Finish
 Example: Finding
the greater number Start

between 2 numbers
given using Numbers, x, y

keyboard
x>y?
YES, 1
NO, 0

Greater number is = x Greater number is = y

Finish
Example: Finding the Start

maximum number among 3 Numbers, x, y, z

numbers given using keyboard

x>y?
YES, 1
NO, 0

x>z? y>z?
NO, 0
NO, 0
YES, 1 YES, 1
M=x M=z M=y

Maximum is = M

Finish
Example: Finding whether the
Start
number given from the
keyboard is even or not Number, x

x mod 2 = 0 ?
YES, 1
NO, 0

EVEN ODD

Finish
 Start

Example: Total = 0

Calculating the Number=1,1,100

sum of all
numbers Total = Total + Number

between 1 and
100 Total is = Total

Finish
 Start

Example: T=0

Calculating x=10,1,100

the sum of x mod 2 = 0 ?

only even NO, 0
YES, 1

numbers T=T+x

between 10
and 100
Total of even
numbers is = T

Finish
 Start

Example: T=0

Calculating x=10,2,100

the sum of
only even
numbers T=T+x

between 10
and 100
Total of even
numbers is = T

Finish
 Homework #2
Not later than the next week:
1. Draw a flowchart that displays the type of triangle when the
border lengths are given using the keyboard.
2. Draw a flowchart that finds and displays the average of even
numbers and odd numbers separately between 10 and 250.
3. Draw a flowchart that finds and displays how many numbers
can be divided by 5 without remaining.
4. Draw a flowchart that finds and displays the average of non-
negative numbers (>=0) between the lower and upper limits
given from the keyboard.
5. Draw a flowchart that finds and displays the number of
negative numbers given from the keyboard until the value of 0
given.