Algorithm Design and Pseudocode

Algorithm
An algorithm is a precise, step-by-step set of instructions for solving a task. An

algorithm does not solve a task; it gives you a series of steps that, if executed

correctly, will result in a solution to a task.

Algorithm is written in two ways:

 Pseudocode

 Flowchart

Pseudocode:
Pseudocode is a simple way of writing programming code in English. Pseudocode is

not actual programming language. It uses short phrases to write code for

programs before you actually create it in a specific language.

Flowchart:
A flowchart shows diagrammatically the steps required for a task (sub-system)

and the order that they are to be performed. These steps together with the

order are called an ALGORITHM. Flowcharts are an effective way to communicate

the algorithm that shows how a system or sub-system works.

OR

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A block diagrammatic representation of a solution or flow of program is called a

flowchart.

Examples of pseudocode assignments

ASSIGNMENT OF VALUE IN DESCRIPTION

VARIABLE

Cost ← 10 Cost has the value 10

Price ← Cost * 2 Price has the value 20

Tax ← Price * 0.12 Tax has the value 2.4

SellingPrice ← Price + Tax SellingPrice has the value 22.4

Gender ←"M" Gender has the value M

Chosen ← False Chosen has the value False

Phrases/words used in Pseudocode:

WORD/PHRASE DESCRIPTION

SET To set/store values/variables –

initialization/declaration

READ/INPUT To input/get data from

user/keyboard

PRINT/OUPUT To output/return data/value on

screen

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 END To show the end of algorithm

IF … THEN … ELSE … ENDIF Selection – to check some

condition

CASE … OF … OTHERWISE … Selection – to match multiple

ENDCASE values/variables/conditions

FOR….TO….NEXT Loop – (Unconditional) to repeat

some task(s) a specific number of

times.

WHILE…DO…ENDWHILE Loop – (Conditional) to repeat

some task(s) till a condition

remains TRUE

REPEAT…UNTIL Loop – (Conditional) to repeat

some task(s) till a condition

remains FALSE

Selection is the second technique of Algorithm.

Selection is written using two structures:

IF … THEN … ELSE … ENDIF

CASE … OF … OTHERWISE … ENDCASE

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 IF … THEN … ELSE … ENDIF

It is used to check only one condition and act accordingly.

Syntax

IF <condition> THEN

<statement if condition is TRUE>

ELSE

<statement if condition is FALSE>

ENDIF

Example: Algorithm to check whether the input value is greater than100 and

output the message accordingly.

SET number to 0

INPUT number

IF number > 100 THEN

OUTPUT “The entered number is greater than 100”

ELSE

OUTPUT “The entered number is smaller than 100”

ENDIF END
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IF…THEN…ELSEIF…ELSE…ENDIF

 This is used to check multiple conditions.

 Each ELSEIF works like IF, but must be used within the main structure of

IF…ENDIF.

 There is no limit of ELSEIFs

 If any of the ELSEIF’s condition is met, the rest of the ELSEIFs are not

checked

Syntax

IF <condition> THEN

<statement if condition is TRUE>

ELSEIF <condition> THEN

<statement if condition is TRUE>

ELSEIF <condition> THEN

<statement if condition is TRUE>

ELSEIF <condition> THEN

<statement if condition is TRUE>

ELSEIF <condition> THEN

<statement if condition is TRUE>

ELSE

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 <statement if condition is FALSE>

ENDIF

Example: Algorithm to generate a marks sheet and check the grading scheme

based on the following criteria:

Grades Percentage range

A+ 90 +

A 80 – 89.99

B 70 – 79.99

C 60 – 69.99

D 50 – 59.99

U < 50 (less than 50)

SET eng, comp, isl, math, phy, chem, tot, per to 0

SET gr to “ ”

INPUT eng, comp, isl, math, phy, chem

Tot = eng + comp + isl + math + phy + chem

Per = (Tot/375)* 100

IF per >= 90THEN

Gr = “A+”

ELSEIF per >= 80 AND per < 90 THEN

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 Gr = “A”

ELSEIF per >= 70 AND per < 80 THEN

Gr = “B”

ELSEIF per >= 60 AND per < 70 THEN

Gr = “C”

ELSEIF per >= 50 AND per < 60 THEN

Gr = “D”

ELSE

Gr = “U”

ENDIF

OUTPUT tot, per, gr

END

CASE … OF … OTHERWISE … ENDCASE

CASE is used to match multiple options in one condition.

Syntax

CASE <identifier (variable) OF

<constant>,<constant>,<constant> : <statement>

<constant>,<constant>,<constant> : <statement>
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 <constant>,<constant>,<constant> : <statement>

<constant>,<constant>,<constant> : <statement>

OTHERWISE

<constant> : <statement if identifier/variable is not matched>

ENDCASE

EXAMPLE (NOV 2003 – Q11): The following algorithm inputs air speeds (which

must be in multiples of 100) and outputs a suitable message.

1. input a speed

2. whole = speed/100

3. case whole of

4. 0,1,2 : result = slow

5. 3, 4, 5, 6 : result = normal

6. 7, 8, 9 : result = high

7. otherwise whole = -1

8. endcase

9. if whole = -1 then

10. output “abnormal reading”

11. else output result, “speed”

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 LOOP

Loop: Repetition of task is called loop/iteration.

There are two basic types of loops:

 Unconditional Loop (FOR – TO – NEXT)

 Conditional Loop (WHILE – DO – ENDWHILE) and (REPEAT – UNTIL)

Unconditional Loop: Unconditional loop repeats the tasks unconditionally the

specified number of times.

FOR … TO … NEXT

Syntax

FOR <identifier(variable> = <number> TO <number>

<statement>

<statement>

<statement>

NEXT

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 Algorithm to output 1 to 10 no.

SET a to 0

FOR a = 1 TO 10

OUTPUT a

NEXT

END

Example 2: Algorithm to output sum of first 10 natural numbers.

SET num, sum to 0

FOR num = 1 To 10

sum = sum + num

NEXT

OUTPUT sum

END

Example 3: (November 2010, Paper 12 – Q9)

Task: The following algorithm inputs 20 numbers and outputs how many numbers

were positive (> 0) and how many numbers were negative (< 0).

Algorithm (Corrected):

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 1 negative = 0

2 positive = 0

3 FOR count = 1 TO 20

4 input number

5 if number < 0 then negative = negative + 1

6 if number > 0 then positive = positive + 1

8 NEXT count

9 print negative, positive

WHILE … DO … ENDWHILE

 It is a conditional loop.

 Loop continues till the condition remains TRUE.

 Condition is check first and the process comes next to it.

WHILE <condition> DO

<statement>

<statement>

<statement>

<identifier> = <identifier> + <number>

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 ENDWHILE

Algorithm to output numbers from 1- 10.

SET a to 0

WHILE a < 10 DO

a=a+1

Output a

ENDWHILE

END

Example: June 2015, Paper 22 – Q2

Program code that inputs 30 positive numbers and then output the largest number

input.

Algorithm (Corrected):

1 Large = 0

2 Counter = 0

3 WHILE Counter < 30

4 DO

5 INPUT Num

6 IF Num > Large THEN Large = Num

7 Counter = Counter + 1

8 ENDWHILE

9 PRINT Large

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 REPEAT… UNTIL
 It is a conditional loop.

 Loop continues till the condition remains FALSE.

 The process comes first, condition is checked next.

REPEAT

<statement>

<statement>

<statement>

<identifier> = <identifier> + <number>

UNTIL <condition>

Algorithm to output numbers from 1- 10.

SET a to 0

REPAT

a=a+1

Output a

UNTIL a = 10

END

INPUT and OUTPUT (e.g. READ and PRINT)

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 INPUT/READ

 This command is used in pseudocode to accept/collect/get

data value from user/keyboard entry.

Algorithm: To take two numbers from user and output the sum.

SET num1, num2, tot to 0

INPUT num1

INPUT num2

tot = num1 + num2

OUTPUT tot

END

TOTALING
To add up a series numbers the following type of statement

should be used:

total = total + number

This literally means (new) total = (old) total + value of

number

Example: Algorithm to count total number of positive and

negative entries in 100 inputs.

SET num, pos, neg to 0

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 FOR a = 1 TO 100

INPUT num

IF num >= 0 THEN

pos = pos + 1

ELSE

neg = neg + 1

ENDIF

OUPUT pos, neg

END

(1) The following section of pseudocode inputs 1000 numbers

and then outputs how many were negative, how many were

positive and how many were zero.

Locate the 3 errors and suggest a corrected piece of code.

1 negative = 1: positive = 1

2 for x = 0 to 1000

3 input number

4 if number < 0 then negative = negative + 1

5 if number > 0 then positive = positive + 1

6 endif

7 endif

8 next

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 9 print negative, positive

(2) The following section of pseudocode inputs rainfall (in cm)

for 500 days and outputs the average rainfall and the highest

rainfall input.

Locate the 3 errors and suggest a corrected piece of code.

1 highest = 1000

2 days = 1

3 while days > 0

4 input rainfall

5 if rainfall > highest then highest = rainfall

6 endif

7 total = total + rainfall

8 days = days + 1

9 average = total/500

10 endwhile

11 print average, highest

(3) The following section of pseudocode inputs a number, n,

multiplies together 1 x 2 x 3 x ……. x n, calculates input

number/sum and outputs result of the calculation.

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 Locate the 3 errors and suggest a corrected piece of code.

1 input n

2 for mult = 1 to n

3 sum = 0

4 sum = sum * mult

5 result = n/sum

6 next

7 print result

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