GLA CRASH COURSE

Booleans/Logical operators

Lecture 6

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Topics
 Boolean
 Type int as Boolean
 Boolean expressions
 Boolean Operators
 Precedence
 Common mistakes

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Boolean
 A special “type” with only two values:
 false and true.
 Used to implement conditions
 for selection and looping in an algorithm
 Boolean expressions
 represent statements which are either strictly
true or strictly false

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Boolean Algebra --- History
 George Boole, 1815-1864

 Initially self-guided studies of languages and philosphy

 With 16 assistant teacher at private school
 With 20 opened a school and taught himself mathematics
 Published in “Cambridge Mathematical Journal” with 24

 The Mathematical Analysis of Logic was published in 1847

 Casts logical reasoning in the form of algebra
 + is OR, * is AND
 0 is FALSE, 1 is TRUE

 An Investigation of the Laws of Thought (1854) extends the algebra

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Type int as Boolean
 In C, integers are used as Booleans
 Integer value 0 is false.
 Any non-zero integer value is true.

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Example: What is the output?
#include <stdio.h>

/* Test some Booleans. */

int main()
{
int whatever = 0;

if (whatever)
{
printf(“Is that true, Homer?\n”);
}
else
{
printf(“No, Marge.\n”);
}
return 0;
}
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Example: What is the output?
#include <stdio.h>

/* Test some Booleans. */

int main()
{
int whatever = 1;

if (whatever)
{
printf(“Is that true, Homer?\n”);
}
else
{
printf(“No, Marge.\n”);
}
return 0;
}
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Example: What is the output?
#include <stdio.h>

/* Test some Booleans. */

int main()
{
int whatever = -100;

if (whatever)
{
printf(“Is that true, Homer?\n”);
}
else
{
printf(“No, Marge.\n”);
}
return 0;
}
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Example: What is the output?
#include <stdio.h>

/* Test some Booleans. */

int main()
{
int whatever = ’A’;

if (whatever)
{
printf(“Is that true, Homer?\n”);
}
else
{
printf(“No, Marge.\n”);
}
return 0;
}
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Example: What is the output?
#include <stdio.h>

/* Test some Booleans. */

int main()
{
int whatever = 0.003;

if (whatever)
{
printf(“Is that true, Homer?\n”);
}
else
{
printf(“No, Marge.\n”);
}
return 0;
}
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Example: What is the output?
Behavior is
#include <stdio.h>
“undefined.”
/* Test some Booleans. */

int main()
{
float whatever = 0.003;

if (whatever)
{
printf(“Is that true, Homer?\n”);
}
else
{
printf(“No, Marge.\n”);
}
return 0;
}
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Boolean Expressions
 ...are either strictly true or strictly false.
 ... can be evaluated to determine their true
or falsehood.
 A Boolean expression which evaluates to
true has integer value 1; otherwise, 0.
Remember: any non-zero value is taken interpreted as true

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Boolean Operators
 ...are used in forming Boolean expressions.
 ...are also known as “logical” operators
 And (&&)
 Or (||)
 Not (!)
 Equality (==)
 Inequality (!=)
 Comparison (<, >, <=, >=)

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 And
 True only if both Boolean arguments are
true.
Examples:

1 && 2

1 && 0 && -1

healthy && wealthy && wise

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 And
 True only if both Boolean arguments are
true.
Examples:

1 && 2
not to be
confused with
1 && 0 && -1
“bitwise
AND” (&)
healthy && wealthy && wise

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 Or
 True if either Boolean argument is true (or
both are true).

Examples:

1 || 2

11 || 0 || 1

good || bad || ugly

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 Or
 True only if either Boolean argument is true
(or both are true).
not to be confused
with “bitwise OR” (|)
Examples:

1 || 2

11 || 0 || 1

good || bad || ugly

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 Not
 True only if the single Boolean argument is
false.

Examples:

! 1

! 0

! happy

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Reminder: Gates

AND Gate OR Gate

A B A AND B A OR B
0 0
0 1
1 0
1 1
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Reminder: Gates

NOT Gate

A NOT A
0
1

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 Equality
 True only if both arguments have identical
values.
Examples:
1 == 2

1 == 0

42 == 42

truth == beauty
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 Equality
 True only if both arguments have identical
values.
Examples:
1 == 2
not to be
confused with
1 == 0
assignment
(=)
42 == 42

truth == beauty
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 Inequality
 True only if arguments have different
values.
Examples:
1 != 2

1 != 0

42 != 42

truth != beauty
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 Comparison
 True only if the specified relationship holds

Examples:
1 < 2

0 > 1

42 <= 42

age >= 18

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 Short-circuiting
 A complex Boolean expression is only
evaluated as far as necessary

Examples:

1 || 2

0 || 1 || 2

1 && 0 && -1

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 Precedence
Highest to lowest:
 Brackets
 Not (!)
 Comparison (<, >, <=, >=)
 Equality (==)
 Inequality (!=) Note: The assignment
operator (=) is lower in
 And (&&) order of precedence
than Boolean / Logical
 Or (||)
operators.
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Example:
#include <stdio.h>

int main()
{
int age = 18;
int haveMoney = 0;
int haveCard = 1;
float thirst = 0.31;
int afterHours = 1;

int result;

result = age >= 18 && (haveMoney || haveCard)

&& thirst > 0.3 && ! afterHours;

printf("%d\n", result);

return 0;
} bool.c
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Common Mistakes
 Using = instead of ==

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Example:

#include <stdio.h>

/* Probably the most common C error. */

int main()
{
int score;

scanf("%d", &score);

if (score = 48 || score = 49)

{
printf("Almost!\n");
}

return 0;
}
boolerr1.c
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Example:

#include <stdio.h>

/* Probably the most common C error. */

int main()
{
int score;

scanf("%d", &score);

if (score = 48 || score = 49)

{
printf("Almost!\n");
} Usual error message (if any):
“LValue required...”
return 0;
}
boolerr1.c
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Example:

#include <stdio.h>

/* Probably the most common C error. */

int main()
{
int score;

scanf("%d", &score);

if (score == 48 || score == 49)

{
printf("Almost!\n");
}

return 0;
}
boolerr1.c
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Common Mistakes
 Using = instead of ==
 Multiple comparisons

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Example:

#include <stdio.h>

/* Another common C error. */

int main()
{
int score;

scanf("%d", &score);

if ( 0 < score < 48 )

{
printf("Fail\n");
}

return 0;
}
boolerr2.c
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Example:

#include <stdio.h>

/* Another common C error. */

int main()
{
int score;

scanf("%d", &score);

if ( 0 < score < 48 )

{
printf("Fail\n");
} 0 or 1
return 0;
}
boolerr2.c
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Example:

#include <stdio.h>

/* Another common C error. */

int main()
{
int score;
always 1
scanf("%d", &score);

if ( 0 < score < 48 )

{
printf("Fail\n");
} 0 or 1
return 0;
}
boolerr2.c
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Example:

#include <stdio.h>

/* Another common C error. */

int main()
{
int score;

scanf("%d", &score);

if ( 0 < score && score < 48 )

{
printf("Fail\n");
}

return 0;
}
boolerr2.c
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Conditional Expressions

 We can write an expression such that its value depends on

a TRUTH value

Condition ? Expr2 : Expr3

 A ternary operator

 For example:

int z,a,b;
…
z = (a>b) ? a : b ;
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