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Algorithm
An algorithm describes a set of steps to solve a
problem

8. Programming concepts • We can use pseudocode to describe in words how algorithms work
• We can use flowcharts to graphically display an algorithm

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4 Constructs in Computer Science

What are the 4 constructs in computer

science? Constructs
• Sequence – order in which the program in executed
• Assignment – assign a value to a variable
• Selection – select a route through a program
• Iteration – loop/repeat instruction
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Pseudocode
Pseudocode some from the Greek work pseudo which means ‘fake’ –
meaning that pseudocode is not a programming language

- CHAR NEXT STRING

What is pseudocode? *
/
DIV
ELSE
NOT
OR
THEN
TRUE
<> ENDCASE OTHERWISE UNTIL
+ ENDIF OUTPUT WHILE ... DO
← FOR ... TO PRINT STEP
AND IF READ MOD
ARRAY INPUT REAL CASE OF
BOOLEAN REPEAT INTEGER //
FUNCTION PROCEDURE RETURN WRITEFILE
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Data Types

We can assign values to specific data types using the following:

Data types Data Type Meaning

INTEGER A whole number
REAL A number capable of containing a fractional part
CHAR A single character
STRING A sequence of zero or more characters
BOOLEAN The logical values TRUE and FALSE

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Variables
Stores a value that can change during the execution of the
program Can use a variable without knowing its value

DECLARE age: INTEGER

What is a variable? DECLARE height: REAL
DECLARE gender: CHAR

age  19
Assigning values
height  1.8
to variables
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gender  “m” Mr Hassine
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Constant
• A constant is a value that cannot be changed accidentally during
the execution of the program
• Value only needs to be changed once if circumstances
change/during the initialisation process
What is a constant?
CONSTANT pi  3.14

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Declaring variables
DECLARE age: INTEGER
DECLARE height: REAL
DECLARE gender: CHAR
DECLARE name: STRING
DECLARE paid: BOOLEAN
DECLARE ARRAY studentNames[1:50] OF STRING
What is an array?
DECLARE ARRAY
DECLARE ARRAY grades [ 1:50 , 1:3 ] OF CHAR

50 rows 3 columns
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Array A constant is a type of variable that does not change throughout the
Arrays allow us to: life time of the program
• Store list of items of the same data type stored under a single name
• To reduce the number of variables used CONSTANT pi  3.14
• Any item can be found using an index number to show its place in the
list cost ← 16
price ← Cost * 2
tax ← Price * 0.25
DECLARE ARRAY names[1:5] OF STRING
sellingPrice ← Price + Tax
gender ← “m”
Names  [“Sara”, “Ben”, “Lee”, “Khalid”, “Lina”] chosen ← False
total  total + number
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count  count + 1 Mr Hassine
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2D Array
2D arrays can be thought of as a table with rows and columns

ARRAY Students [1 : 5 , 1 : 3 ] OF STRING

What is a 2D Array row number/number of rows column number/number of columns
[1] [2] [3]
[1] Salem Smith B Students [ 1 , 2 ]  “Smith”
[2] Salah Touati A
[3] Nasser Al Ouni B
[4] Michael Jones B Students [ 5 , 3 ]  “C”
[5] Arun Sharma C
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Procedure
A Procedure is a subroutines that carry out a but does not
supply any output to other routines

What is a procedure? PROCEDURE pay (rate: REAL, hours: REAL)

DECLARE wage: REAL
wage  hours * rate
PRINT wage
ENDPROCEDURE

pay(15, 10)
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Functions 2 Parameters
Functions are routines that create an output that can be used
by other routines
FUNCTION pay (rate: REAL, hours: REAL) RETURNS REAL
print( ) input( ) max( ) print( ) wage  hours * rate
RETURN wage
round( ) str( ) int( ) ENDFUNCTION
min( ) Function is being called.
Procedures Ben  pay(15, 10) We are passing arguments
Sayed  pay(1.5, 80) into the function when it is
Procedures or sub-procedures are routines that carry out tasks called
but do not supply any output to other routines Functions must always have
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return values Mr Hassine

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Selection
Selection allows the user to find a different route
through a program
Conditional statement
IF…THEN…ELSE…ENDIF

CASE…OF…OTHERWISE…ENDCASE

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IF (mark > = 80)

IF…THEN…ELSE…ENDIF
IF…THEN…ELSE…ENDIF THEN PRINT “A*”
NESTED IF example
ENDIF
A condition can be either TRUE or FALSE ELSE IF (mark >= 70) A condition can be either TRUE or FALSE
THEN PRINT “B”
END IF
INPUT mark
ELSE IF (mark >= 60)
IF mark > =50 THEN PRINT “C”
THEN PRINT “Pass” END IF
ELSE ELSE IF (mark >= 50)
THEN PRINT “D”
PRINT “Fail”
END IF
ENDIF ELSE PRINT “Fail”
ENDIF

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CASE…OF…OTHERWISE…ENDCASE
CASE can be used to decide what happens
depending on the value
DECLARE grade: CHAR
LOOPS (iteration)
INPUT grade
CASE grade OF
“A”: PRINT “Outstanding”
“B”: PRINT “Good”
“C”: PRINT “Average”
OTHERWISE PRINT “Needs improvement”
ENDCASE

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ITERATION FOR…TO…NEXT
• Some actions need to be repeated in an algorithm
FOR counter ← 1 TO 10
• There are three types of loop structures PRINT “Enter student name”
INPUT
Operator Comparison StudentName[counter]
NEXT
Set number of repetitions FOR…TO…NEXT
PRINT “Ten students added”
Repetition, where number of loops
is not known – must be completed at REPEAT…UNTIL
least once
• FOR Loop must have start an stop value
Repetition, where the number of • The FOR loop counts up until the stop value
repeats is not known, may never be WHILE…DO…ENDWHILE • Must indent the lines up until the stop value
completed

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WHILE…DO…ENDWHILE REPEAT…UNTIL
• No need to set up test variables before loop starts
PRINT “You are stuck in a maze” • Commands inside the loop are carried out at least once before the test
INPUT direction direction ← “n”
WHILE ( direction <> “W” ) DO REPEAT
PRINT “You are stuck in a maze”
PRINT “You are in a maze” READ direction
INPUT direction UNTIL direction = “w”
PRINT “You have escaped”
ENDWHILE
PRINT “You have escaped”

• Have to set the value of the test variable before the loop starts
• If test result is FALSE the commands inside the loop will not be
carried out at all

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LENGTH( ) UPPER( ) - for upper case

The LENGTH( ) returns the length of the string The UPPER( ) returns the upper case in the parameter

name  ‘Mr Hassine’ OUTPUT name  ‘Mr Hassine’ OUTPUT

numOfChars  LENGTH(name) 10 newName  UCASE(name) MR HASSINE
PRINT numOfChars PRINT newName

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LOWER( ) - for lower case substring( ) - returns part of a string

The LOWER( ) returns the lower case in the parameter The SUBSTRING( txt , start , num ) has three parameters
and returns part of a string

name  “MR HASSINE” OUTPUT

newName  LOWER(name) mr hassine name  “Mr Hassine” OUTPUT
PRINT newName newName  SUBSTRING(name,3,7) hassine
PRINT newName

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Purpose of subroutine in a program • Sub-program / system not the whole program / system
• To perform a frequently used operation within a program
• That can be called when needed
• That can be reused by another program

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