Introduction To

Flowcharting
Flowchart:

Represents an
algorithm in
graphical symbols
Flowchart Symbols

Terminal: Used to indicates the

start and end of a flowchart.
Single flow line. Only one “Start”
and “Stop” terminal for each
program. The end terminal for
function/subroutine must use
“Return” instead of “Stop”.
Process: Used whenever data is
being manipulated. One flow line
enters and one flow line exits.
Input/Output: Used whenever
data is entered (input) or
displayed (output). One flow line
enters and one flow line exits.
Flowchart Symbols
Decision: Used to represent operations in
which there are two possible selections.
One flow line enters and two flow lines
(labeled as “Yes” and “No”) exit.
Function / Subroutine: Used to identify an
operation in a separate flowchart
segment (module). One flow line enters
and one flow line exits.
On-page Connector: Used to connect
remote flowchart portion on the same
page. One flow line enters and one flow
line exits.
Off-page Connector: Used to connect
remote flowchart portion on different
pages. One flow line enters and one flow
line exits.
Comment: Used to add descriptions or
clarification.
Flow line: Used to indicate the direction of
Comments or description
Start

Read N, N = The number of students

M M = The number of subjects

Yes

No

Stop
Connectors on the same page

Start

1 2

1- connection on the same

flowchart portion

2- connection on the different

flowchart portion
Stop

2
Connectors on a different page
Page 1 Page 2

Start

2
1

Stop
Yes 1

No

2
 The detail of how the function works
is put in another flowchart.

This is known as Function-Definition

Function
Page 1 Start terminal for a Page 2
Function is different.
Start
Do not use “Start”
AVRG ( result,n1, n2,n3)

Read
n1, n2 , n3

sum = n1+ n2+n3

Body of a function is
AVRG (result, n1, n2,n3) the same with
normal flowchart

At this point, result = sum/3

we only focus on what
to do. How to do it,
it comes later. Print
result
This part is known as
Function-Call Return

Stop
End terminal
must be a “Return”

This flowchart calculates the average of three n

Example:
What is the output of the following flowchart when the input is N = 6
10
Page 1 5
average Page 2

Start
N=6
AVRG ( result,n1, n2,n3)

Read
N Sum = 10 + 5 +

sum = n1+ n2+n3

AVRG (average, 10, 5, N) average =

21/3

result = sum/3

Print
average Output:
Average: 7
Return

Stop
 Sequence
In a computer program or an algorithm,
sequence involves simple steps which are
to be executed one after the other.
The steps are executed in the same order in which they are written.
In a flowchart,
sequence is expressed as:
In pseudocode,
sequence is expressed
as:

process 1
process 2
…
…
process n
 Sequence
An Example Using Sequence

Problem: Write a set of instructions that describe how to make a pot of tea.

Pseudocode Flowchart

BEGIN
fill a kettle with water
boil the water in the
kettle
put the tea leaves in the
pot
pour boiling water in the
pot
END
Example:

Start

Read
Length, Input:
Width Length <- 5
Width <- 3

Calculate Area Process:

Area=Length * Width Area = 5 * 3 = 15

Calculate Perimeter Process:

Perimeter= Perimeter =
2 * (Width+Length) 2* (5+3) = 16
Output

Area: 15
Print
Area, Perimeter: 16
Perimeter

Stop
 Selection is used in a computer program
or algorithm
to determine which particular step or set
of steps is to be executed
Binary Selection Binary Selection

In pseudocode, binary In flowcharts, binary selection is expressed in

selection is expressed in the the following ways:
following ways:

1. IF condition THEN
process 1
ENDIF

2. IF condition THEN
process 1
ELSE
process 2
ENDIF
 Selection
Binary (structure)
Binary Selection Binary Selection

In pseudocode, binary In flowcharts, binary selection is

selection is expressed in the expressed in the following ways:
following ways:

1. IF condition THEN
process 1
ENDIF

2. IF condition THEN
process 1
ELSE
process 2
ENDIF
 Selection
Binary (flowchart structure)
Note: In a flowchart it is most important to indicate
1. which path is to be followed when the condition is true, and
2. which path to follow when the condition is false.
Without these indications the flowchart is open to more than one interpretation.

Note: There are two acceptable ways to represent a decision in all of the
structures.
Either method is acceptable. For consistency, the method 1 is used throughout this documen
1. The condition is expressed as a 2. The condition is expressed as a
statement and the two possible question and the two possible
outcomes are indicated by outcomes are indicated by
• True • Yes
• False • No
 Selection
Binary (examples)
Selection is used in a computer program or algorithm
to determine which particular step or set of steps is to be executed.

Examples Using Binary Selection

Problem 1: Write a set of instructions to describe when to answer the phone.

Binary Selection
Flowchart
Binary Selection
Pseudocode

IF the telephone is ringing THEN

answer the telephone
ENDIF
 Selection
Binary (examples)
Examples Using Binary Selection
Problem 2: Write a set of instructions to follow when approaching a set of
traffic control lights.
Binary Selection
Flowchart
Binary Selection
Pseudocode

IF the signal is green

THEN
proceed through
the intersection
ELSE
stop the vehicle
ENDIF
 Selection
Multi-way (structure)

Multi-way Selection Multi-way Selection

In pseudocode, multiple In flowcharts, multi-way selection is

selection is expressed as: expressed as:
CASEWHERE expression
evaluates to
choice a : process a
choice b : process b
. .
. .
. .
OTHERWISE : default
process
ENDCASE

Note: As the flowchart version

of the multi-way selection
indicates, only one process
on each pass is executed as a
result of the implementation of
 Selection
Multi-way (examples)
Example Using Multi-way Selection
Problem: Write a set of instructions that describes how to:
respond to all possible signals at a set of traffic control lights.
Multi-way Selection
Multi-way Selection Flowchart
Pseudocode

CASEWHERE signal is
red : stop the
vehicle
amber : stop the
vehicle
green : proceed
through the intersection
OTHERWISE : proceed
with caution
ENDCASE
 Pseudo Code
O Algorithms are commonly written
using Pseudo code.
O The term “Code” usually refers to as
programming language.
O Pseudo code is an English like
language that is similar to
programming language that is used
to write Algorithms.
 Looping
1. Ask the user for the Centigrade
temperature
2. Store the value in box C
3. Calculate the corresponding
Fahrenheit temperature
4. Store it in box F
5. Print the values in boxes C and F,
Appropriately labelled
6. Go to step 1.
O When the Algorithm reaches step 6, it does
not stop but rather transfers control to step
1 to repeat the Algorithm again.
O A Loop is a set of instructions which can
be repeated. In this case. Step 1 to step 5
form a loop.
O The problem is there’s no condition under
which the loop can be stopped.
O How long will the loop go for ?
O How do we stop the Algorithm ?
 The While loop
1. Ask the user for the WHILE C is not 0 DO
Centigrade
temperature
2. Store the value in box C Set F to 32+(9C/5)
3. If C = 0, then Stop. Print C and F,
4. Calculate the Prompt the user
corresponding
for the
Fahrenheit temperature
5. Store it in box F Centigrade
6. Print the values in temperature C
boxes C and F,
Appropriately labelled
END WHILE
7. Go to step 1.
STOP
 The While loop
When a WHILE loop has the
following steps
O The condition is tested.
O If it is true the statements
in the loop are tested and
the process is repeated
from step 1.
O If the condition is false
then the WHILE loop
terminates/Ends with the
END WHILE statement.
And the program ends
with the STOP statement.
 Repetition
Repetition allows for a portion of an algorithm or computer
program
to be done any number of times
dependent on some condition being met.
An occurrence of repetition is usually known as a loop.

An essential feature of repetition is that

each loop has a termination condition
to stop the repetition,
or the obvious outcome is that
the loop never completes execution (an infinite loop).

The termination condition can be checked or tested

1. at the beginning and is known as a pre-test loop or
2. at the end of the loop and is known as a post-test
loop.
 Repetition
Pre-test (structure)
Repetition: Pre-Test
A pre-tested loop is so named because the condition has to be met at
the very beginning of the loop or the body of the loop is not executed.
This construct is often called a guarded loop.
The body of the loop is executed repeatedly while the termination condition is true.

Repetition

Repetition In flowcharting
pre-test repetition
In pseudocode, pre-test is expressed as:
repetition is expressed as:

WHILE condition is true

process(es)
ENDWHILE
 Repetition Post-test (structure)

Repetition: Post-Test
• A post-tested loop executes the body of the loop before testing the
termination condition.
• This construct is often referred to as an unguarded loop.
• The body of the loop is repeatedly executed until the termination condition is
true.
An important difference between a pre-test and post-test loop is that the
statements of a post-test loop are executed at least once even if the
condition is originally true, whereas the body of the pre-test loop may never be
executed if the termination condition is Repetition
originally true.
A close look at the representations of the two loop types makes this point apparent.
Repetition In a flowchart
post-test repetition
In pseudocode, post-test is expressed as:
repetition is expressed as:

REPEAT
process
UNTIL condition is true
 Repetition Pre-test (example)

An Example Using Pre-Test Repetition

Problem: Determine a safety procedure for travelling in a carriage on a moving train.

Pre-test Repetition
Flowchart

Pre-test
Repetition
Pseudocode

WHILE the train is

moving
keep wholly within
the carriage
ENDWHILE
 Repetition Post-test (example)
An Example Using Post-Test Repetition
Problem: Determine a procedure to beat egg whites until fluffy.

Post-test Repetition
Flowchart

Post-test Repetition
Pseudocode

REPEAT
beat the egg whites
UNTIL fluffy
 For Loop
O The For construct is a simple For C = 0 to 100
statement which executes a
piece of code a set number of
times. Set F to
O It consists of
32+9C/5
1. The word FOR
2. The loop variable, (problem
Print (C,F)
in the example)
3. The word TO END FOR
4. The final value
STOP
5. To word DO
6. One or more lines of
instructions to be executed (
The body of the for loop)
7. The END FOR statement
 For Loop
RESULT
C F
0 32.0
1 33.8
2 35.6
3 37.4
4 39.2
5 41.0
6 42.8
7 44.6
8 46.4
9 48.2
10 50.0
 IF Then ELSE
statement
The IF then ELSE consists Prompt the user for
of
two numbers A & B
O The word IF
O A condition IF A>B THEN
O The word THEN PRINT (“A is bigger”)
O One or more statements
called the THEN PART
O The word ELSE ELSE
O One or more statements PRINT (“B is bigger”)
called the ELSE PART
END IF
O The word END IF
STOP
Interesting ?