Chapter 2: Problem Solving

In this chapter you will learn about:

Introduction to Problem Solving
Software development method (SDM)
Specification of needs
Problem analysis
Design and algorithmic representation
Implementation
Testing and verification
Documentation

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Introduction to Problem Solving
Problem solving is the process of
transforming the description of a problem
into a solution by using our knowledge of
the problem domain and by relying on our
ability to select and use appropriate
problem-solving strategies, techniques and
tools.
Computers can be used to help us solving
problems

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Software Development Method (SDM)
1. Specification of needs
2. Problem analysis
3. Design and algorithmic representation
4. Implementation
5. Testing and verification
6. Documentation

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Specification of Needs
To understand exactly:
what the problem is
what is needed to solve it
what the solution should provide
if there are constraints and special
conditions.

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Problem Analysis
In the analysis phase, we should identify the
following:
Inputs to the problem, their form and the input
media to be used
Outputs expected from the problem, their form
and the output media to be used
Special constraints or conditions (if any)
Formulas or equations to be used

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Design and Algorithmic Representation

An algorithm is a sequence of a finite number

of steps arranged in a specific logical order
which, when executed, produces the solution
for a problem.
An algorithm must satisfy these requirements:
It may have an input(s)
It must have an output
It should not be ambiguous (there should not
be different interpretations to it)
Every step in algorithm must be clear as what it
is supposed to do

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Design and Algorithmic Representation cont..

It must be general (it can be used for different

inputs)
It must be correct and it must solve the
problem for which it is designed
It must execute and terminate in a finite
amount of time
It must be efficient enough so that it can solve
the intended problem using the resource
currently available on the computer
An algorithm can be represented using
pseudocodes or flowcharts.

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Control Structure
In order to tackle a problem, we need
a correct algorithm
to apply the algorithm at the 'good' moment
to decide which algorithm to apply (sometimes
there are more than one, depending on conditions)
to know if a certain operation must be repeated
In short: we need a suitable Control Structure
In 1966, two researchers, C. Bohn and G. Jacopini,
demonstrated that any algorithm can be described
using only 3 control structures: sequence,
selection and repetition.

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Pseudocodes
A pseudocode is a semiformal, English-like
language with limited vocabulary that can be
used to design and describe algorithms.

Criteria of a good pseudocode:

Easy to understand, precise and clear
Gives the correct solution in all cases
Eventually ends

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Pseudocodes: The Sequence control structure

A series of steps or statements that are executed in

the order they are written in an algorithm.
The beginning and end of a block of statements can
be optionally marked with the keywords begin and
end.
Example 1:
Begin
Read the birth date from the user.
Calculate the difference between the
birth date and today’s date.
Print the user age.
End

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Pseudocodes: The Selection control structure

Defines two courses of action depending on the

outcome of a condition. A condition is an expression
that is, when computed, evaluated to either true or
false.
The keyword used are if and else.
Format: Example 2:

if condition if age is greater than 55

then-part print “Pencen”
else else
else-part print “Kerja lagi”
end_if end_if

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Pseudocodes: The Selection control structure

Sometimes in certain situation, we may omit the else-part.

if number is odd number
print “This is an odd number” Example 3
end_if

Nested selection structure: basic selection structure that

contains other if/else structure in its then-part or else-part.
if number is equal to 1
print “One”
else if number is equal to 2
Example 4
print “Two”
else if number is equal to 3
print “Three”
else
print “Other”
end_if

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Pseudocodes: The Repetition control structure

Specifies a block of one or more statements

that are repeatedly executed until a condition
is satisfied.
The keyword used is while.
Format:

while condition
loop-body
end_while

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Pseudocodes: The Repetition control structure

Example 5: Summing up 1 to 10

set cumulative sum to 0

set current number to 1
while current number is less or equal to 10
add the cumulative sum to current number
add 1 to current number
end_while
print the value of cumulative sum

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Pseudocodes: The Repetition control structure

Subsequently, we can write the previous pseudocodes

(example 5) with something like this.
Example 6: Summing up 10 numbers
cumulative sum = 0
current number = 1
while current number is less or equal to 10
cumulative sum = cumulative sum + current number
current number = current number + 1
end_while
print the value of cumulative sum
Note that in this algorithm, we are using both the
sequence and repetition control structure

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Pseudocodes: The Repetition control structure
Example 7:

Begin
number of users giving his birth date = 0
while number of users giving his birth date < 10
begin
Read the birth date from the user.
Calculate the difference between the birth
date and today’s date.
Print the user age.
if the age is greater than 55
print “Pencen”
else
print “Kerja lagi”
end_if
number of user giving his birth date + 1
end
end_while
End

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 Pseudocodes: The Repetition control structure

Example 8:

while user still wants to play

begin
Select either to play on network or play against computer
if play on network
create connection to remote machine
play game with connected computer
else
select mission
play game locally
end_if
Ask user whether he/she still wants to play
end
end_while

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 Pseudocodes: The Repetition control structure
Example 9:

while user still wants to play

begin
Select either to play on network or play against computer
if play on network
create connection to remote machine
play game with connected computer
Else
select mission
play game locally
end_if
Ask user whether he/she still wants to play
end
end_while

For readability, always use proper indentation!!!

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Flowcharts
Flowcharts is a graph used to depict or show
a step by step solution using symbols which
represent a task.
The symbols used consist of geometrical
shapes that are connected by flow lines.
It is an alternative to pseudocoding; whereas
a pseudocode description is verbal, a
flowchart is graphical in nature.

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Flowchart Symbols
Terminal symbol - indicates the beginning and
end points of an algorithm.
Process symbol - shows an instruction other than
input, output or selection.
Input-output symbol - shows an input or an output
operation.

Disk storage I/O symbol - indicates input from

or output to disk storage.
Printer output symbol - shows hardcopy printer
output.

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Flowchart Symbols cont…
Selection symbol - shows a selection process
for two-way selection.

Off-page connector - provides continuation

of a logical path on another page.

On-page connector - provides continuation

of logical path at another point in the same
page.

Flow lines - indicate the logical sequence of

execution steps in the algorithm.

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Flowchart – sequence control structure

Statement 1

Statement 2

Statement 3

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Flowchart – selection control structure

No Yes
Condition

else- then-
statement(s) statement(s)

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Flowchart – repetition control structure

yes Loop
Condition
Statement(s)

no

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Flowchart – example 1
Begin

Read birth date

Calculate
Age = current year – birth date

Display
age

End

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Flowchart – example 2
Begin

Read age

YES Age > 55? NO

print “Pencen” print “Kerja lagi”

End

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Flowchart – example 5

Begin

sum = 0
current_number = 1

NO
current_number <= 10? print sum

YES
End
sum = sum + current_number
current_number = current_number + 1

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Flowchart - exercises
Write the equivalent flowchart for each of the
examples given in pseudocoding, i.e
Example 3
Example 4
Example 7
Example 8

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Implementation
The process of implementing an algorithm by
writing a computer program using a programming
language (for example, using C language)
The output of the program must be the solution
of the intended problem
The program must not do anything that it is not
supposed to do
(Think of those many viruses, buffer overflows,
trojan horses, etc. that we experience almost daily. All
these result from programs doing more than they
were intended to do)

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Testing and Verification
Program testing is the process of executing a
program to demonstrate its correctness
Program verification is the process of
ensuring that a program meets user-
requirement
After the program is compiled, we must run
the program and test/verify it with different
inputs before the program can be released to
the public or other users (or to the instructor
of this class)

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Documentation
Contains details produced at all stages of the
program development cycle.
Can be done in 2 ways:
Writing comments between your line of codes
Creating a separate text file to explain the program
Important not only for other people to use or
modify your program, but also for you to
understand your own program after a long time
(believe me, you will forget the details of your
own program after some time ...)

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Documentation cont…
Documentation is so important because:
You may return to this program in future to use the
whole of or a part of it again
Other programmer or end user will need some
information about your program for reference or
maintenance
You may someday have to modify the program, or may
discover some errors or weaknesses in your program

Although documentation is listed as the last stage

of software development method, it is actually an
ongoing process which should be done from the
very beginning of the software development
process.
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Volume calculation
Write a pseudocode and a flowchart for a C
program that read the value of the height,
width and length of a box from the user and
print its volume.

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Calculating Electricity Bills
The unit for electricity usage is kWh. For
domestic usage, the monthly rate is 21.8
cents/unit for the first 200 unit, 25.8
cents/unit for the next 800 units and 27.8
cents/unit for each additional units. Given
the amount of electricity units (in kWh) used
by a customer, calculate the amount of
money needs to be paid by the customer to
TNB. A bill statement needs to be printed
out.
Write a pseudocode and a flow chart to
solve the above problem.

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Sum of 1 to n
Write a pseudocode and a flowchart for a
program that reads a positive integer n and
then computes and prints the sum of all
integers between 1 and n.

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Summary
This chapter introduced the concept of
problem solving-a process of transforming the
description of a problem into a solution.
A commonly used method – SDM which
consists of 6 steps
3 basic control structures : sequence,
selection and repetition structures
Pseudocode vs. Flow chart
T.H.E E.N.D

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