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ALGORITHMS

Algorithms are sets of instructions that describe the steps to solve a problem. They can be illustrated using descriptions, flowcharts, pseudocode, or structure diagrams. Pseudocode uses English-like statements to show algorithm steps without specifying a programming language. Control structures like sequence, selection, and iteration are common building blocks. Sequence executes steps in order, selection chooses a path (using if/else statements), and iteration repeats steps (using for, while, and repeat loops).

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Taonaishe Hastings Muzavazi
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32 views5 pages

ALGORITHMS

Algorithms are sets of instructions that describe the steps to solve a problem. They can be illustrated using descriptions, flowcharts, pseudocode, or structure diagrams. Pseudocode uses English-like statements to show algorithm steps without specifying a programming language. Control structures like sequence, selection, and iteration are common building blocks. Sequence executes steps in order, selection chooses a path (using if/else statements), and iteration repeats steps (using for, while, and repeat loops).

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Taonaishe Hastings Muzavazi
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We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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ALGORITHMS

- A set of instructions describing the steps followed in performing a specific task, for example,
calculating change.
- They are a sequence of instructions for solving a problem.
- Algorithms can be illustrated using the following:
Descriptions, Flowcharts, Pseudocodes, Structure diagrams

a. Descriptions:
- These are general statements that are followed in order to complete a specific task.
- They are not governed by any programming language. An example is as follows:
Enter temperature in oC
Store the value in box C
Calculate the equivalent temperature in oF
Store the value in box F
Print the value of box C and F
End the program.

b. Pseudocodes:
- These are English-like statements, closer to programming language that indicates steps
followed in performing a specific task.
- They are means of expressing algorithms without worrying about the syntax of the
programming language.
- There are no strict rules on how pseudocode statements should be written.
- Indentations are very important in writing pseudocodes since they clearly indicate the extent
of loops and conditional statements.
- They are however independent of any programming language.
- An example is as follows:
Enter centigrade temperature, C
If C = 0, then stop.
Set F to 32 + (9C/5)
Print C and F
End

Control Structures/Programming Constructs/building blocks of a structured program


- A number of control structures are used in designing Pseudocodes.
- These includes: simple sequence, selection and iteration.
NB: GO TO statements (also called spaghetti programming) must be avoided as the programs
will be difficult to follow, difficult to debug, and difficult to maintain.
i. Simple sequence:
- This is whereby instructions are executed in the order they appear in a program without
jumping any one of them up to the end of the program.
- Statements are executed one after another in the order they are.
- It is simple and avoids confusion.
- Example:
Enter first number, A
Enter second number, B
C=A+B
Print C
Stop
ii. Selection Structure:
- This allows one to choose the route to follow in order to accomplish a specific task.
- Selection is written using the IF ....THEN...ELSE statement or the CASE statement.

IF...THEN ...ELSE statement:


- A programming structure that allows the user to choose one from at least two routes of
solving a problem.
- The following Pseudocodes compares two numbers entered through the keyboard and
determines the bigger one.
Enter first Number, A Enter first Number, A Enter first Number, A
Enter second number, B Enter second number, B Enter second number, B
IF A>B THEN IF A > B THEN IF A>B THEN Print A is
Print A is bigger Print A is bigger bigger
ELSE ENDIF IF A<B THEN Print B is
IF A<B THEN IF A < B THEN bigger
Print B is bigger Print B is bigger IF A=B THEN Print
ELSE ENDIF Numbers are equal
Print Numbers are IF A = B THEN END
equal Print Numbers are
ENDIF equal
ENDIF ENDIF
END END

A B C
The above 3 Pseudocodes produces the same result.

Cascaded/Nested If Statements
This is whereby if statements are found inside other if statements (nested Ifs) as shown below:
Start
Enter “First Number”, A
Enter “Second Number”, B
Enter “Third Number”, C
If A>B Then
If B>C Then
Print “A is the biggest Number”
End If
End If
End.

CASE Statement: This is an alternative to the IF...THEN...ELSE statement and is shorter. For
example:
Enter first Number, A
Enter second number, B
Enter operand (+, -, * /)
CASE operand of:
“+”: C = A + B
“-”: C = A-B
“*”: C = A*B
“/”: C = A/B
ENDCASE
Print C
END

iii. Repetition/Iteration/looping:
A control structure that repeatedly executes part of a program or the whole program until a
certain condition is satisfied.
Iteration is in the following forms: FOR...NEXT LOOP, REPEAT... UNTIL Loop and the
WHILE...ENDWHILE Loop.

a. For...Next Loop: A looping structure that repeatedly executes the loop body for a specified
number of times. The syntax of the For...Next loop is as follows:

FOR {variable} = {starting value} to {ending value} DO


Statement 1
Statement 2 loop body
................
NEXT {variable}

A group of statements between the looping structures is called the loop body and is the one
that is repeatedly executed.
The For...Next loop is appropriate when the number of repetitions is known well in advance,
e.g. five times. An example of a program that uses the For...Next loop is as follows:
Sum, Average = 0
FOR I = 1 to 5 DO
Enter Number
Sum = Sum + number
NEXT I
Average = Sum/5
Display Sum, Average
End

b. Repeat...Until Structure: This is a looping structure that repeatedly executes the loop body
when the condition set is FALSE until it becomes TRUE. The number of repetitions may not
be known in advance and the loop body is executed at least once. The syntax is as follows:
Repeat
Statement 1
Statement 2 loop body
................
Until {Condition}
For example
Sum, Average, Count = 0
Repeat
Enter Number (999 to end)
Sum = Sum + Number
Count = count + 1
Until Number = 999
Average = Sum / count
Print Sum, count, Average
End
In the above program:
- Count records the number of times the loop body executes.
- 999 is used to stop further data entry through the keyboard and thereby ending the loop.
Such a value that stops further data entry through the keyboard thereby terminating a
loop is called a Rogue value or sentinel.
- The condition here is {Number = 999}. The loop exits when the number 999 is entered.
If 999 is part of the number to be entered in this program, then the user has to split it
into two numbers, that is 999 = 990 + 9, therefore can be entered separately as 990 and
9.
- A flag is also used to control the loop. In this case 999 is also a flag.
NB. As for the Repeat...Until loop, the condition is tested after the loop body has been run at
least once, even when the condition is true from start. This is rather misleading.

c. While ... Do Structure


A looping structure in which the loop body is repeatedly executed when the condition set is
TRUE until it becomes FALSE. It is used when the number of repetitions is not known in
advance. The condition set is tested first before execution of the loop body. Therefore the loop
body may not be executed at all if the condition set is FALSE from start. The syntax of the
WHILE…ENDWHILE structure is as follows:

WHILE {condition}
Statement 1
Statement 2 loop body
................
ENDWHILE

An example of the program is as follows:


Sum, Count, Average = 0
WHILE Count < 6 DO
Enter Number
Sum = Sum + number
Count = count + 1
ENDWHILE
Average = Sum/count
Display sum, count, average
END
The word WEND can be used to replace the word ENDWHILE in some structures and
therefore is acceptable. The word Do, after the condition is optional.

Differences between the Repeat...Until and the While…ENDWHILE structures

Repeat Until Loop While Endwhile Loop


1 Loop body is executed when the Loop body is executed when the condition
condition set is FALSE until it set is TRUE until it becomes FALSE
becomes TRUE
2 Loop body is executed at least once Loop body may not be executed at all
3 Condition is tested well after Condition is tested before execution of loop
execution of loop body body

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