MODULE-2
DECISION CONTROL AND LOOPING
STATEMENTS
Introduction to Decision Control
In some cases we want to only select statements to be executed. It allows the programmers to build
theprograms that determine which statements of the code should be executed and which should be
ignored.
C support two types of decision control statements that can alter the flow of sequence of
instructions.
These include conditional branch statements and unconditional branch statements
Conditional Branching Statements
C language possesses such decision making capabilities by supporting the following statements:
1. If statement
2. If-else statement
3. if-else-if statement
4. else-if ladder statement
5. Switch statement
These statements are popularly known as decision making statements. Also known as control statements
The basic decision statement in the computer is the two way selection.
The decision is described to the computer as conditional statement that can be answered TRUE or FALSE.
If the answer is TRUE, one or more action statements are executed.
If answer is FALSE, the different action or set of actions are executed.
Regardless of which set of actions is executed, the program continues with next statement.
1. if statement: The general form of simple if statements is shown below.
if (Expression)
{
Statement1;
}
Statement2;
The Expression is evaluated first, if the value of Expression is true (or non zero) then Statement1
will be executed; otherwise if it is false (or zero), then Statement1 will be skipped and the
execution will jump to the Statement2.
Remember when condition is true, both the Statement1 and Statement2 are executed in sequence.
This is illustrated in Figure
Note: Statement1 can be single statement or group of statements.
Expression True
False Statement1
Statement2
Figure 1: Flow chart of if statement
Example:
#include<stdio.h>
void main( )
{
int a=20, b=11;
if (a >b)
{
printf(“A is greater\n”);
}
}
Output: A is greater
2. if..else statement: The if..else statement is an extension of simple if statement.
if (Expression)
{
Statement1; true-block
}
else
{
Statement2; true-block
}
Statement3;
If the Expression is true (or non-zero) then Statement1 will be executed; otherwise if it is false (or zero),
then Statement2 will be executed.
In this case either true block or false block will be executed, but not both.
This is illustrated in Figure 2. In both the cases, the control is transferred subsequently to the Statement3.
False True
Expression
Statement2 Statement1
Statement3
Figure 2: Flow chart of if-else statement
Example:
void main( )
{
int a=10, b=11;
if (a >b)
{
printf(“A is greater\n”);
}
else
{
printf(“B is greater\n”)
}
}
Output:
B is greater
3. Nested if .. else statement: When a series of decisions are involved, we have to use more than
one if..else statement in nested form as shown below in the general syntax.
if (Expression1)
{
if(Expression2)
{
Statement1;
}
else
{
Statement2;
}
}
else if(Expression3)
{
Statement3;
}
else
{
Statement4;
}
If Expression1 is true, check for Expression2, if it is also true then Statement1 is executed.
If Expression1 is true, check for Expression2, if it is false then Statement2 is executed.
If Expression1 is false, then Statement3 is executed.
Once we start nesting if .. else statements, we may encounter a classic problem known as dangling else.
This problem is created when no matching else for every if.
C solution to this problem is a simple rule “always pair an else to most recent unpaired if in the
currentblock”.
Solution to the dangling else problem, a compound statement.
In compound statement, we simply enclose true actions in braces to make the second if a
compoundstatement.
Figure 3: Flow chart of Nested if-else statement
Example:
#include<stdio.h>
void main( )
{
int a = 20, b=15, c=3;
if(a>b)
{
if(a>c)
{
printf(“A is Greater\n”);
}
else
{
printf(“C is greater\n”);
}
}
else
{
if(b>c)
{
printf(“B is greater\n”);
}
else
{
printf(“C is greater\n”);
}
}
}
OUTPUT:
A is greater
4. else-if ladder or cascaded if else: There is another way of putting ifs together when multipath
decisions are involved. A multi path decision is a chain of ifs in which the statement associated with
each else is an if. It takes the following form.
if (Expression1)
{
Statement1;
}
else if(Expression2)
{
Statement2;
}
else if(Expression3)
{
Statement3;
}
else
{
Statement4;
}
Next Statement;
This construct is known as the else if ladder.
The conditions are evaluated from the top (of the ladder), downwards. As soon as true condition is
found, the statement associated with it is executed and control transferred to the Next statement skipping
the rest of the ladder.
When all conditions are false then the final else containing the default Statement4 will be executed.
Figure 4: Flow chart of else if ladder statement
Example:
#include<stdio.h>
void main( )
{
int a=20, b=5, c=3;
if((a>b) && (a>c))
printf(“A is greater\n”);
else if((b>a) && (b>c))
printf(“B is greater\n”);
else if((c>a) && (c>b))
printf(“C is greater\n”);
else
printf(“All are equal\n”);
}
Output: A is greater
5. Switch Statement:
C language provides a multi-way decision statement so that complex else-if statements can be
easilyreplaced by it.
C language‟s multi-way decision statement is called switch.
General syntax of switch statement is as follows:
switch(choice)
{
case label1: block1;
break;
case label2: block2;
break;
case label3: block-3;
break;
default: default-block;
break;
}
Here switch, case, break and default are built-in C language words.
If the choice matches to label1 then block1 will be executed else if it evaluates to label2 then block2
will be executed and so on.
If choice does not matches with any case labels, then default block will be executed.
Figure 5: Flow chart of switch case statement
The choice is an integer expression or characters.
The label1, label2, label3,…. are constants or constant expression evaluate to integer constants.
Each of these case labels should be unique within the switch statement. block1, block2, block3, …
are statement lists and may contain zero or more statements.
There is no need to put braces around these blocks. Note that case labels end with colon(:).
Break statement at the end of each block signals end of a particular case and causes an exit from
switch statement.
The default is an optional case when present, it will execute if the value of the choice does not match
with any of the case labels.
Example:
Label Number Label Character
#include<stdio.h> #include<stdio.h>
#include<stdlib.h> #include<stdlib.h>
void main( ) void main( )
{ {
int ch,a,b,res; int a,b,res;
float div; char ch;
printf(“Enter two numbers:\n”); float div;
scanf(“%d%d”,&a,&b); printf(“Enter two numbers:\n”);
printf(“1.Addition\n 2.Subtraction\n scanf(“%d%d”,&a,&b);
3.Multiplication\n 4.Division\n 5.Remainder\n”); printf(“a.Addition\n b.Subtraction\n
printf(“Enter your choice:\n”); c.Multiplication\n d.Division\n e.Remainder\n”);
scanf(“%d”,&ch); printf(“Enter your choice:\n”);
switch(ch) scanf(“%c”,&ch);
{ switch(ch)
case 1: res=a+b; {
break; case ‘a’: res=a+b;
case 2: res=a-b; break;
break; case ‘b’: res=a-b;
case 3: res=a*b; break;
break; case ‘c’: res=a*b;
case 4: div=(float)a/b; break;
break; case ‘d’: div=(float)a/b;
case 5: res=a%b; break;
break; case ‘e’ : res=a%b;
default: printf(“Wrong choice!!\n”); break;
} default: printf(“Wrong choice!!\n”);
printf(“Result=%d\n”,res); }
} printf(“Result=%d\n”,res);
}
In this program if ch=1 case „1‟ gets executed and if ch=2, case „2‟ gets executed and so on.
Iterative Statements
Definition of Loop: It is a programming structure used to repeatedly carry out a particular
instruction/statement until a condition is true. Each single repetition of the loop is known as an iteration
of the loop.
Three important components of any loop are:
1. Initialization (example: ctr=1, i=0 etc)
2. Test Condition (example: ctr<=500, i != 0 etc)
3. Updating loop control values (example: ctr=ctr+1, i =i-1)
Pre-test and Post-test loops
Loops can be classified into two types based on the placement of test-condition.
If the test-condition is given in the beginning such loops are called pre-test loops (also known as entry-
controlled loops).
Otherwise if test condition is given at the end of the loop such loops are termed as post-test loops (or exit
controlled loops).
Note Figure 1:
1. Here condition is at the beginning of loop. That is why it is called pre-test loop
2. It is also called as entry controlled loop because condition is tested before entering into the loop.
3. while is a keyword which can be used here.
Note Figure 2:
1. Here condition is at the end of the loop. That is why it is called post-test loop.
2. It is also called as exit controlled loop because condition is tested after body of the loop is
executed at least once.
3. do and while are keywords which can be used here.
LOOPS IN C
C language provides 3 looping structures namely:
1. while loop
2. do….while loop
3. for loop
The loops may be classified into two general types. Namely:
1. Counter-controlled loop
2. Sentinel-controlled loop
When we know in advance exactly how many times the loop will be executed, we use a
counter-controlled loop. A counter controlled loop is sometimes called definite repetition loop.
In a sentinel-controlled loop, a special value called a sentinel value is used to change the loop
controlexpression from true to false. A sentinel-controlled loop is often called indefinite repetition loop.
i. while loop:
It is a pre-test loop (also known as entry controlled loop).
This loop has following syntax:
Statement x;
while (condition)
{
statement-block;
}
Statement y;
In the syntax given above „while‟ is a key word and condition is at beginning of the loop.
If the test condition is true the body of while loop will be executed.
After execution of the body, the test condition is once again evaluated and if it is true, the body is
executed once again.
This process is repeated until condition finally becomes false and control comes out of the body of
theloop.
FLOWCHART:
Here is an example program using while loop for finding sum of 1 to 10.
Example: WAP to find sum of 1 to 10 using while.
#include<stdio.h>
void main()
{
int i=1, sum=0;
while (i<=10)
{
sum=sum+i;
i++;
}
printf(“%d”, sum);
}
ii. do…. while loop:
It is a post-test loop (also called exit controlled loop) it has two keywords do and while.
The General syntax:
Statement x;
do
{
Statement-block;
} while (condition);
Statement y;
In this loop the body of the loop is executed first and then test condition is evaluated.
If the condition is true, then the body of loop will be executed once again. This process continues as
long as condition is true.
When condition becomes false, the loop will be terminated and control comes out of the loop.
FLOWCHART:
Example: WAP to find sum of 1 to 10 using do… while
#include<stdio.h>
void main()
{
int i=1, sum=0;
do
{
sum=sum+i;
i=i++;
} while (i<=5)
printf(“%d”, sum);
}
iii. for loop:
It is a pre test loop and also known as entry controlled loop.
“for” keyword is used here.
Here, the head of the for loop contains all the three components that is initialization, condition and
Updation.
General syntax:
for( initialization; test-condition; updation)
{
Statements;
}
The execution of for statement is as follows.
1. First the control variable will be initialized. (Example i=1)
2. Next the value of control variable is tested using test condition. (i<=n)
3. If the condition is true the body of the loop is executed else terminated.
4. If loop is executed then control variable will be updated (i++) then, the condition is checked again.
FLOWCHART:
Example: WAP to find the sum of 10 numbers using for loop.
#include<stdio.h>
void main( )
{
int i, sum=0;
for (i=1; i<=10; i++)
{
sum=sum+i;
}
printf(“%d”, sum);
}
Note: In for loops whether both i++ or ++i operations will be treated as pre-increment only.
Points to Remember about for loop
If all the expressions are omitted then there must be 2 semicolons inside a for loop
Don‟t put the semicolon at the end of for loop
Multiple initializations must be separated with a colon operator
If there is no initialization to be done, then initialization statement can be skipped by
giving semicolon
The loop variable is updated in the statement block
Multiple conditions in the test expressions can be tested by using operators (&& and ||)
Multiple statements inside the for loop separated with comma operator
Nested for loops
A for loop inside a for loop is called Nested for loop.
FLOWCHART: `
Example: for(i=0; i<2; i++)
{
for(j=0; j<2; j++)
{
scanf(“%d”, &a[i][j])
}
}
Note: If updation is not present in loops then, it will execute infinite times.
If initialization is not given then, program prints nothing.
Differences between while and do while loop
while do… while
It is a pre test loop. It is a post test loop.
It is an entry controlled loop. It is an exit controlled loop.
The condition is at top. The condition is at bottom.
There is no semi colon at the end of while. The semi colon is compulsory at the end of while.
It is used when condition is important. It is used when process is important.
Here, the body of loop gets executed if and only if Here, the body of loop gets executed atleast once
condition is true. even if condition is false.
SYNTAX, FLOWCHART, EXAMPLE (Same as in SYNTAX, FLOWCHART, EXAMPLE (Same as in
explanation) explanation)
Break and Continue statements
break and continue statements are unconditional control construct.
1. break statement:
It terminates the execution of remaining iteration of loop.
A break can appear in both switch and looping statements.
Syntax Flowchart
#include<stdio.h>
while(condition) void main( )
{ {
Statements; int i;
if(condition) for(i=1; i<=5; i++)
break; {
Statements; if(i==3)
} break;
printf(“%d”, i)
}
}
OUTPUT 12
THE BREAK STATEMENT
do for(initialization; condition; updation)
{ {
………………. ……………….
if(condition) if(condition)
break; break;
………………. ……………….
}while(condition); }
………………. ……………….
Transfers control out of the do-while loop Transfers control out of the for loop
for(initialization;condition;updation) while(condition)
{ {
………………. ……………….
for(initialization;condition;Updation) if(condition)
{ break;
………………. ……………….
if(condition) }
break; ……………….
……………….
}
……………….
}
Transfers control out of the inner-for loop Transfers control out of the while loop
2. continue statement
It terminates only the current iteration of the loop.
Continue can appear in looping statements.
Syntax Flowchart
#include<stdio.h
while(condition) >void main( )
{ {
Statements; int i;
if(condition) for(i=1; i<=5; i++)
continue; {
Statements; if(i==3)
} continue
;printf(“%d”, i)
}
}
OUTPUT 124 5
The continue Statement
do for(initialization; condition; updation)
{ {
………………. ……………….
if(condition) if(condition)
continue; continue;
………………. ……………….
}while(condition); }
………………. ……………….
Transfers the control to the condition Transfers the control to the condition
expression of the do-while loop expression of the for loop
for(initialization;condition;updation) while(condition)
{ {
………………. ……………….
for(initialization;condition;Updation) if(condition)
{ continue;
………………. ……………….
if(condition) }
continue; ……………….
……………….
}
……………….
}
Transfers the control to the condition Transfers the control to the condition
expression of the inner-for loop expression of the while loop
GOTO Statement
goto statement is used to transfer the control to a specified label.
goto is an unconditional branching statement.
The syntax of goto is as follows:
Syntax Example
goto label; void main( )
{
statement1; int a=5, b=7;
goto end;
statement2; a=a+1;
b=b+1;
label: end: printf(“a=%d b=%d”, a,b);
}
