Chapter 5

LOOPING STATEMENTS
CHAPTER
1

Chapter 5. LOOPING STATEMENTS

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After completing this chapter, the reader will be able to :

• Understand the process of stepwise refinement using repetition or

iteration structures.

• Appreciate the importance of using control structures effectively, in

producing understandable, debuggable, maintainable programs, and
more likely to work correctly on the first try.
• Understand the built-in functions for looping.

• Learn to effectively use while loop, for loop, nested loops, and loop
control statements.

• Use and implement the while and for repetition structures to execute
statements in a program repeatedly.

• Learn to use break statement, continue statement, and pass statement

effectively
5.1 Introduction to Looping
• Loop is a block of code that is recurring for a stated number of times
until some condition is encountered.

• In a loop's body the code, placed inside the loops, are carried out
repeatedly.

• Example: a code written to convert the temperature from degrees

Celsius to Fahrenheit
1.2 Purpose of loops
• “Programming” involves giving the computer the instructions and
data it needs on time.

• Programming Mechanism-The process of programming is done in

phases, such as composing problem statements, drawing flowcharts,
designing coding algorithms, writing a computer program, analyzing
and evaluating software, technical writing, keeping software up to
date, and so on.
The benefits of using loops in Python are as follows:

• Loops aid in escalating the code reusability.

• Loops simplify complex problems into simple ones, which are very
easy to handle.

• Loops aid in easily crisscrossing the elements placed in arrays and

linked lists.

• Loops aid the developers to remove the drudgery of physical writing,

and implement the upfront and small instructions repetitively.
Classification of flow controls

• Iteration is based on a counter (or counter loop) or a condition (or

condition loop).

• loops are divided into finite loops (limited) and infinite loops
(unlimited).

• The finite loops are further typified as definite and indefinite loops
based on the clarity in defining the number of iterations.
Fig. 5.1: Python Programming – Classification of Flow Control.
• The constructs in an indefinite loop are further subdivided into pre-test
loops or pre-checking loops or entry-controlled loops and post-
checking loops, or exit-controlled loops.

• In an entry-controlled loop, the condition is tested before the

commencement of the loop. In an exit-controlled loop, the condition is
tested after the commencement of the loop.
5.2 Python built-in functions for looping

• Python has four functions, namely, User-Defined Functions (UDF),

anonymous or Lambda functions, recursive functions, and Built-in
functions.

• Built-in functions are created or defined in the programming

framework and are always available.

• Python 3.X has 68 built-in functions

 range () function

The parameters of the range function are start, stop, and step.
• start is an integer; beginning of the sequence of integers that must be
returned.
• stop is an integer that is fixed beforehand and indicates the last number
in the sequence of integers that must be returned.
• step is an integer value that limits the increment amongst each integer in
the sequence.
The range() function is typically put to two main uses:

[i] Iterating through a for-code loop's body a given number of times.

[ii] Iterating integers faster than with lists or tuples.

5.3.1 while Loop

• Python while loop is a condition-controlled loop that supports repeated

execution of a statement or block of statements controlled by a
conditional expression.
Syntax of while Statement:

The following is a syntactical representation of the while statement:

while (condition is true)
statements detail the steps to perform
# "some steps" must finally result in the condition being false
while Reserved word used to begin the statement.

condition Boolean expression determines whether to execute the loop body.

: colon (:) must follow the condition.

Block If the while condition is true,

one or more statements will be executed.

Note:

Statements in a block must be indented with the same number of spaces from
the left. It's called the statement's body.
while loop with else:

When a while statement's condition evaluates to false, any else

information (optional) that follows it can be used to define how the
processing of the code should proceed.

The else block is a block of one or more statements to be completed. It

must be indented more spaces.
Fig. 5.3: A Flow Chart Depicting the Process of a While Else Loop.
• Syntax of while loop with else clause: The following is a syntactical
representation of the while loop with the else statement.

Fig. 5.4: Syntax of while-else Loop in Python

• while A reserved word is used to begin the statement.
• condition the Boolean expression determines whether or not
the body will be executed.
•: colon (:) must follow the condition.
• Block If the while condition is true, one or more statements
will be executed.
• else The reserved word else begins the second part of the
while/else statement. The else block is a block of one
or more statements to be executed if the condition is
false. It must be indented with more spaces.
Fig. 5.5: Depiction of the workflow of a simple while–else loop in Python.
5.3.2 for Loop
• Syntax of for statement: The following is a syntactical representation
of the for loop.
structure of the syntax (Fig. 5.6) shows that
for the reserved word is used to begin the for Loop.
var variable
iterable or
[iterating
variable] object used in iteration. can either be an adjective or a
noun .The iterating variable is an individual item during
every iteration and is assigned a provisional random
variable name.
in splits the picked item separately from the other(s).

: colon (:) directs to follow the body of the code that ensues.
Block Has one or more statements to be executed that need to be
undertaken and repeated.

Note:

Statements in a block must be indented the same number of spaces from

the left. It's called the statement's body.
Fig. 5.7: Depiction of the Work Flow of a Simple For else Loop in Python
The flow of an implementation of a for-loop (Fig. 5.7) is as follows:

• The loop is activated with the keyword. After testing the membership
expression, it demands the next element or item from the iterable (a
collection of elements or items).

• If the iterable is blank, exit the for-loop without running its body.
• If the iterable did produce an element, allocate that element to <var>.
If <var> was not previously delineated, it becomes delineated).

• Implement the bounded body of code equal to the number of items or

elements in the collection.

• Return to the first line.

Fig. 5.8: Syntax of for else Loop in Python.
structure of the syntax (Fig. 5.8) shows that

for Reserved word is used to begin the For Loop.

var variable

iterable the object used in iteration.

in splits the picked item separately from the other(s).

: colon (:) directs to follow the body of the code that ensues.

Block Has one or more statements to be executed that need to be repeated.

else reserved. else block executes statements if the condition is false.

It needs to be indented more.

5.3.3 Nested Loops
5.4 Jump Statements

• There may be times during the execution of the code when a pause or
termination of the code is necessary (also known as an abnormal loop
termination) due to the occurrence of a recursion statement.
• Generally, to stop or pause the looping statements, control statements
are used.
• Code performance deviates from its usual pattern due to these iteration
loop control statements (directed by the code).
• To instantaneously exit the body of a loop or recheck the condition(s)
from the inside of the loop, these control statements are used.
5.4.1 break Statement
Syntax of break statement: The following is a syntactical
representation of the break statement:

To terminate a loop, use the keyword "break".

The loop starts with the optional declared variable, which takes one
element from the iterable object at a time to execute the statements in
the next block until it encounters a break.
The flow of iterations through a for loop that contains a break
statement is as follows (also it is shown in Fig. 5.9):

1. Loop begins

2. The for loop starts with the optional declared variable, which takes
one element from the iterable object at a time to execute the
statements in the next block.
3. Execute the first statement.

4. Execute the second statement.

5. Bumps into the break statement.

6. Jumps out of the loop.

7. Terminates the code execution.

Fig. 5.9: Exemplification of the Process
Flow of Break Statement in Python.
5.4.2 continue Statement
Syntax of continue: The syntax for the continue statement is given
below:
Fig. 5.12: A Flow Chart Depicting the Process of Using continue in
Python Loops.
Fig. 5.13: Python Loops Flow Control With the Continue.
5.4.3 pass Statement
Need for a pass Statement:
• used to write and implement classes, empty loops, empty control
statements, and functions in the future.
• helpful in some cases where the parent class will have a function that is not
useful to that class. But it might be a valuable function to its child class so it
can evade any fault in the base class.
• the pass statement comprehends itself as a placeholder in the compound
statement.
• The placeholder will either be blank, or nothing will be written there.
It is used in places that are supposed to include a function with no
execution and to declare the function in a code that will be used in the
future.

• body of the function, cannot be left empty as it will raise an error. The
error is raised and hurled either as syntactically or systematically
incorrect.

• Python pass statement is used as more details are needed to write the
function's body.
Table 5.3: Differences Between the pass and continue