BUS 601 Python for Analytics

Lecture 3 Control Statements: if

Intro to Python for Computer Science and Data Science, Chapter 3

By Dr. Qi Li

BUS 601
Learning Objectives
• Decide whether to execute actions with the statements
if, if…else and if…elif…else.
• Learn problem-solving skills: understanding problem
requirements, dividing problems into smaller pieces,
developing algorithms to solve problems and
implementing those algorithms in code.
• Develop algorithms through the process of top-down,
stepwise refinement.
• Create compound conditions with the Boolean
operators and, or and not.

BUS 601
Control Statements
• Usually, statements in a program execute in the
order in which they’re written, called sequential
execution.
• Some Python statements enable you to specify
that the next statement to execute may be other
than the next one in sequence, called transfer of
control, or control statements.
– The selection statement
– The iteration statement

BUS 601
Flowcharts
• Graphical representation of an algorithm or a part of one.
• Using rectangles, diamonds, rounded rectangles and small circles
connected by arrows called flowlines.
• Clearly show how forms of control operate.
• Rectangle (or action) symbol indicates any action
• Flowlines show the order in which the actions execute.
• In a flowchart for a complete algorithm, the first symbol is a
rounded rectangle containing the word “Begin.” The last symbol
is a rounded rectangle containing the word “End.”
• In a flowchart for only a part of an algorithm, use small circles
called connector symbols.

BUS 601
Flowchart example
• Flowchart shows a sequential execution:

BUS 601
If Statement Flowchart
• The decision (diamond) symbol contains a condition that can be
either True or False.
• Two flowlines emerging from it:
– One indicates the direction to follow when the condition in the symbol is
True.
– The other indicates the direction to follow when the condition is False.

BUS 601
The if statement: a summary

if true-or-false-condition :
Indented Statement Block, if the
condition is true
Example: if miles > 20000:
print( "Upgrade!" )

Wrong:  Beware!
This is not a true-or-false condition!
if miles:
print( "Upgrade!" )

BUS 601
if Statement
• “A passing grade on an examination is 60”.
• The pseudocode
If student’s grade is greater than or equal to 60
Display 'Passed'

• If the condition is true, 'Passed' is displayed.

• If the condition is false, nothing is displayed.
• Indentation emphasizes that 'Passed' is displayed only if the
condition is true.

BUS 601
Python: if
• Keyword of if,
• Semicolon
• Suite indentation

BUS 601
Indentation tells you important
information!
n= input( "Pick a positive number" )
if n < 0:
print( "I said a positive number!" )
print( "Were you listening?" )
print( "Anyway." )

BUS 601
Summary of comparison operators

if age == 21: equal

if age != 21: not equal
if age < 21: less than
if age > 21: greater than
if age <= 21: less than or equal to
if age >= 21: greater than or equal to

Watch the order: =< and => are not correct here.
Also, no spaces are allowed in the middle of ==, !=, <=, or >=.

BUS 601
Checking equality
• To check if two things are equal, use a double equal sign: ==.

n= int(input( "Pick a lucky number" ))

if n == 13 :
print( "That is not a lucky number!" )

name= input( "What is your name?" )

if name == "Mildred" :
print( "My, what a beautiful name." )

BUS 601
Combining conditions
• if statement with simple conditions:
If your temperature is greater than 98.6, then go to see the
doctor.

• Sometimes a task is to be performed based on multiple

conditions.

If your temperature is greater than 98.6 OR you have a rash on your arm, go
to see the doctor.
If your temperature is NOT greater than 98.6, don’t call in sick to work.
If you are stung by a bee AND you are allergic to bees, go to see the doctor.
If you are stung by a bee AND you are NOT allergic to bees, do not worry!

BUS 601
Logical connective (logical operator)
• In order to perform multiple conditions, logical
connective (symbol or word ) is applied to one or
multiple conditions is a used to connect one or
more simple conditions
• binary connectives
– and: conjunction, e.g., rivers AND salinity
– or: disjunction
• unary connective
– not: negation

BUS 601
Combining conditions with and
if width > 100 and height > 100 :
print ( "Area is greater than 10000 square inches." )

if x > -25 and x < 25 and y > -25 and y < 25 :

print ( "point (x, y) must be inside the rectangle." )

• With and, all of the conditions must be true

• for the expression to be true!
• Unless parentheses are used to group conditions, evaluation is done left-to-right as one
expression.

BUS 601
Combining conditions with or
if age < 0 or age > 120:
print ( "Not human." )

if age < 18 or age > 65 or myName == yourName :

print ( "Not interested." )

• With or, at least one of the conditions must be true for the
expression to be true!

BUS 601
Grouping conditions
if a < b and b < c or c < b and b < a :
print ( "in ascending or descending order" )
if ( a < b and b < c ) or ( c < b and b < a ) :
print ( "in ascending or descending order" )

• The normal order of evaluation of conditional expression is: left-

to-right
• not has higher precedence than and
• and has higher precedence than or
• Parentheses often improve readability and may be used to
override normal evaluation order.
• Try: true or true and false

BUS 601
Watch the phrasing of conditions

Be sure that what you put on either side of the and or or

are both true/false statements:

error!! if age < 15 or > 90:

print "Should you really be driving?"

Correct if age < 15 or age > 90:

print "Should you really be driving?"

BUS 601
Selection Statement
• Three selection statements that execute code based on a
condition—an expression that evaluates to either True
or False:
– if performs an action if a condition is True or skips the action
if the condition is False.
– if…else statement performs an action if a condition is True
or performs a different action if the condition is False.
– if…elif…else statement performs one of many different
actions, depending on the truth or falsity of several
conditions.
• Anywhere a single action can be placed, a group of
actions can be placed.
BUS 601
if-else
• Pseudocode if condition :
– If student’s grade is greater than or equal to what to do if condition is true
60
Display 'Passed'
else :
Else
what to do if condition is false
Display 'Failed'

BUS 601
Concise conditional expression

BUS 601
Multi-way decisions: if-elif-else
if condition A :
...
what to do if condition A is true
...
elif condition B :
...
what to do if condition A is false but B is true
...
elif condition C :
...
what to do if conditions A and B are false but C is true
...
else:
...
what to do if none of the above conditions are true
...

• Else clause is optional

– Handle values that do not satisfy any of the conditions.
– Without an else, if no conditions are True, the program does not execute
any of the statement’s suites.
BUS 601
BUS 601
Elif: Example
if age < 6 :
print ("Not in school yet“)
elif age < 12 :
print ("Elementary school“)
elif age < 15 :
print ("Middle school“)
elif age < 18 :
print ("High school“)
else:
print ("College“)
print ("Hey“)

BUS 601
Listen to the logic of English

If quantity is under The cost is a dollar,

a dozen, the cost is unless the quantity is a
a dollar. Otherwise dozen or more in
it is two dollars. which case it is two
dollars.

if quantity < 12:

cost= 1
else:
cost= 2

Words like "otherwise" and "unless"

suggest if/else logic is needed!

BUS 601
Different ways of coding the same thing

if quantity >= 12: if quantity < 12:

cost= 2 cost= 1
else: else:
cost= 1 cost= 2

This phrasing is preferable.

cost= 2
Why?
if quantity < 12
cost= 1 Simpler, and asks only one
question about the value of
variable quantity, not two.

if quantity < 12:

cost= 1
cost= 1
if quantity >= 12
if quantity >= 12:
cost= 2
cost= 2

BUS 601
Multiway decision vs. multiple decisions

if isSleepy() : if isSleepy() :
print "Sleepy" print "Sleepy"

elif isHungry() : if isHungry() :

print "Hungry" print "Hungry"

elif isAngry() : if isAngry() :

print "Angry" print "Angry"

else : else :
print "Whatever" print "Whatever"

What's the difference?

BUS 601
Nesting
• You can put anything in an if, else, or elif
block, including other if statements, if-
else blocks, etc.
if age < 17:
if rating == "R":
print( "Parent or guardian please" )
elif rating == “X":
print ( "Go away" )
else:
print( “You may enter alone" )

age 19 rating ??? Output: You may enter alone

?

age 16 rating R Output Parent or guardian

please

BUS 601
Practice with multi-way decisions

reply= input( "What color would you like?" )

if reply == "black":
color= black
elif reply == "white":
color= white
elif reply == "blue":
color= blue
else:
print( "I don't know that color. Here is a
color picker." )

BUS 601
Color choice program -- flow diagram

read in variable reply --

the name of a color

reply == no
“black”?

yes reply == no
“white”?

yes reply == no
“blue”?
color = _ color = _
yes
color = _ offer color picker

make and draw picture

in the chosen color

BUS 601
Algorithm
• Any computing problem can be solved by
executing a series of actions in a specific order.
• An algorithm is a procedure for solving a
problem in terms of
– the actions to execute and
– the order in which these actions execute
• Specifying the order in which statements
(actions) execute in a program is called program
control.

BUS 601
Pseudocode
• An informal language that helps you develop algorithms without
having to worry about the strict details of Python syntax.
• Similar to everyday English.
• Helps you “think out” a program before attempting to write it in
a programming language.
• Carefully prepared pseudocode can easily be converted to a
corresponding program.
• Pseudocode normally describes only statements representing the
actions that occur (e.g., input, output or calculations) after you
convert a program from pseudocode to Python and run the
program.

BUS 601
Example

BUS 601