1/13/22, 7:57 AM C program to check positive negative or zero using switch case - Codeforwin

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C program to check positive negative or zero

using switch case
May 18, 2018 Pankaj C programming C, Nested switch, Program, Switch

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Write a C program to input a number and check positive negative or zero using switch case. Checking
negative, positive or zero using switch case is little tricky. In this example, I will explain how to check positive
negative or zero using switch case. However, it is not recommended way, it's just for learning.

Example
Input

Input number: 23

Output

23 is positive

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1/13/22, 7:57 AM C program to check positive negative or zero using switch case - Codeforwin

Required knowledge
Basic Input Output, Switch case

How to check positive negative or zero using

switch case
We already know how to check whether a number is positive, negative or zero using if else if. However,
checking using switch case if little tricky since, switch works with constants.

Switch case expects an expression that must return a list of known constant. So first let us define expressions
to check positive, negative or zero.
(num > 0) return 1 ( true ) for positive number, otherwise 0 ( false ).
(num < 0) check negative and return 1 for negative number, otherwise 0.
(num == 0) return 1 for zero, otherwise 0.

Next, to code this we will require nested switch . Step by step descriptive logic to check positive negative
or zero using switch case.

1. Input number from user, store it in some variable say num .

2. First we will check for positive. Use expression to check positive in outer switch. Use
switch(num > 0) .

3. The above switch expression with either return 1 or 0. Hence for case 1: print positive number.

4. For case 0: write one more nested switch statement with expression to check negative number.

Say switch (num < 0) .

5. For above switch expression the number can either be negative or zero. Since outer switch already
says its not positive.

6. Hence for case 1: print negative and for case 0: print zero.

Program to check positive negative or zero using

switch case

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1/13/22, 7:57 AM C program to check positive negative or zero using switch case - Codeforwin

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1 /**
2 * C program to check positive negative or zero using switch case
3 */
4 #include <stdio.h>
5
6 int main()
7 {
8 int num;
9
10 printf("Enter any number: ");
11 scanf("%d", &num);
12
13 switch (num > 0)
14 {
15 // Num is positive
16 case 1:
17 printf("%d is positive.", num);
18 break;
19
20 // Num is either negative or zero
21 case 0:
22 switch (num < 0)
23 {
24 case 1:
25 printf("%d is negative.", num);
26 break;
27 case 0:
28 printf("%d is zero.", num);
29 break;
30 }
31 break;
32 }
33
34 return 0;
35 }

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1/13/22, 7:57 AM C program to check positive negative or zero using switch case - Codeforwin

Output   
Enter any number: 23
23 is positive.

Enter any number: -22

-22 is negative.

Enter any number: 0

0 is zero.

Happy coding 😉

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About Pankaj
Pankaj Prakash is the founder, editor and blogger at Codeforwin. He loves to learn new techs and write
programming articles especially for beginners. He works at Vasudhaika Software Sols. as a Software
Design Engineer and manages Codeforwin. In short Pankaj is Web developer, Blogger, Learner, Tech and
Music lover.

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1/13/22, 7:57 AM C program to check positive negative or zero using switch case - Codeforwin

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Mohammed Saif Shaikh • 18 days ago

how num > 0 will return 1 or 0?
△ ▽ • Reply • Share ›

Puja Nepal • 9 months ago

can't we do this problem by switch case and not nested switch case? if yes then
how to do by simple switch case,help me sir!!!
△ ▽ • Reply • Share ›

bilal ilyas • a year ago • edited

when e i enter zero or a negative number same number appears it does'nt show
that the number is negative or zero.

#include<iostream>
using namespace std;
int main(){
cout<<"Enter a number:";
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1/13/22, 7:57 AM C program to check positive negative or zero using switch case - Codeforwin
cout<< te a u be : ;
int num;
cin>>num;
cout<<num; switch(num="">0)
{
case 1:
cout<<"It is positive number";
break;
case 2:
switch(num<0)
{
case 1:
cout<<"It is negative number";
break;
case 2:
cout<<"It is zero";
break;
}
}
}

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Pankaj Prakash Admin > bilal ilyas • a year ago

Hi @bilal ilyas, try with this switch(num>0) instead of switch(num="">0)
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Sejal • a year ago • edited

Why can't i use default statement at end?

#include<stdio.h>
int main ()
{
int num;
Printf("enter num");
Scanf("%d", &num);

Switch (num > 0) {

Case 1 :
Printf("num is positive");
Break;

Case 0 :
Printf("num is negative");
Break;

Default :
Printf("num is zero"):
}
Return 0;
}

(Error: switch condition has boolean value)

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Pankaj Prakash Admin > Sejal • a year ago

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1/13/22, 7:57 AM C program to check positive negative or zero using switch case - Codeforwin

1. (num > 0) there can be always two possible values 1 and 0 which you
already have as a case statement. So having default statement there is
not valid.
2. You have got syntactical error.
△ ▽ • Reply • Share ›

Maleesha Dissanayaka • 2 years ago

sir can you add some new problems
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Duaa • 2 years ago

Hi
Why is give me that warning :switch condition has boolean value[_wswitch_bool]
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Pankaj Prakash Admin > Duaa • 2 years ago

Check this good explanation over stackoverflow.
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Jasur Ahmadov • 2 years ago

good
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