Algorithm and Flowchart

Review
✓Problem solving

✓Logic and its importance in problem solving

✓Computational problems and its classifications

✓Computer organization and operating system

✓Different computer languages

✓Typical C program development environment

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Application software, System software & Hardware

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Objectives for today
To learn and appreciate the following concepts

✓Introduction to algorithms and flowcharts

✓Algorithms and flowcharts for simple problems

✓Simple C programs

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Session outcome
• At the end of session the student will be able to write

• Algorithms and flowcharts for simple problems

• Simple C programs

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Algorithm
✓A step by step procedure to solve a particular problem

✓Named after Arabic Mathematician Abu Jafar Mohammed Ibn Musa Al

Khowarizmi

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Algorithmic Notations
Name of the algorithm [mandatory]
[gives a meaningful name to the algorithm based on the problem]
Start [Beginning of the algorithm]
Step Number [mandatory]
[indicate each individual simple task]
Explanatory comment [optional]
[gives an explanation for each step, if needed]
Termination [mandatory]
[tells the end of algorithm]

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Properties of an algorithm

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Steps to develop an algorithm

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Compute the area of circle
Name of the algorithm : Compute the area of a circle
Step1: Start
Step 2: Input radius
Step 3: [Compute the area]
Area  3.1416 * radius * radius
Step 4: [Print the Area]
Print ‘Area of a circle =‘, Area
Step 5: [End of algorithm]
Stop

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Interchange values of two variables
Name of the algorithm: Interchange values of 2 variables
Step 1: Start
Step 2: Input A,B
Step 3: temp  A
Step 4: AB
Step 5: Btemp
Step 6: Print ‘A=’ , A
Print ‘B=’ , B
Step 7: [End of Algorithm]
Stop

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Largest of 3 numbers
Name of the algorithm: Find largest of 3 numbers
Step 1: Start Step 5: [Compare A and C for largest]
Step 2: [Read the values of A, B and C]
if A>C then
Read A, B, C
Print ‘A’ is largest’
Step 3: [Compare A and B] else
if A>B Go to step 5
Print ‘C’ is largest’
Step 4: [Otherwise compare B with C] Step 6: [End of the algorithm]
if B>C then Stop
Print ‘B’ is largest’
else
Print ‘C’ is largest’
Go to Step 6

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Factorial of a number
Name of the algorithm: Compute the factorial of a number

Step1: Start
Step 2: Input N
Step 3: fact 1
Step 4: for count=1 to N in step of 1 do
begin
factfact*count
end
Step 5: Print ‘fact of N=‘, fact
Step 6: [End of algorithm]
Stop

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Tutorial on Algorithms
Write the algorithm to
• Find the area of triangle when three sides are given.
• Add two integers
• Find the sum of digits of a number
• Find the Sum and Mean of first N natural numbers

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Flowcharts
✓In Computer Science, Flow chart is used to represent algorithm which
basically provides a solution to any computational problem.

• Flowchart: A graphical/pictorial representation of computation

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Basic Flowchart Symbols
http://www.wiley.com/college/busin/icmis/oakman/outline/chap05/images/f5_02.gif

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Area of the circle
Name of the algorithm:
Compute the area of a circle Flowchart

Step1: Input radius

Step 2: [Compute the area]

Area  3.1416 * radius*radius

Step 3: [Print the Area]

Print ‘Area of a circle =‘, Area

Step 4: [End of algorithm]

Stop

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Comparing two numbers
Flowchart
Name of the algorithm: Comparing 2 numbers
Step 1: Start
Step 2: Input num1, num2
Step 3: if num1 > num2 then
Print num1 is bigger
else
Print num2 is bigger
Step 4: end

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Swapping two numbers
Name of the algorithm: Swapping 2 numbers Flowchart

Step1: Input two numbers

Step 2: [swapping]
temp=a
a=b
b=temp
Step 3: [Print]
Print ‘after swapping=‘, a, b
Step 4: [End of algorithm]
Stop

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Find Factorial of given no
Name of the algorithm: Compute the factorial of a number

Step1: Start
Step 2: Input data
Step 3: factorial 1
Step 4: for i=1 to N in step of 1 do
begin
factorialfactorial*i
end
Step 5: Print ‘fact of N=‘, factorial
Step 6: [End of algorithm]
Stop

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Key features of flow chart
✓Diagrammatic / visual / graphical representation of computation of an
algorithm/pseudo code

✓Easier to understand and analyze the problem and it’s solution before
programming

✓Machine independent

✓ Well suited for any type of logic

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Tutorial
• Write the flowchart to find the area of triangle when three sides are
given
• Write the flowchart to add two integers

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Summary
✓What is Algorithm and Flowchart

✓Writing algorithms and drawing flowcharts for simple problems

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Problem Solving Using Computers
Steps in Problem Solving
Problem solving is a part of our day to day
activity.

• Algorithm
• Flowchart
• Code
• Documenting

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General Structure of C program

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General Structure of C program
1. Documentation section:
The documentation section consists of a set of comment lines giving the name of
the program, the author and other details, which the programmer would like to
use later.
2. Link section: The link section provides instructions to the compiler to link
functions from the system library such as using the #include directive.
3. Definition section: The definition section defines all symbolic constants such
using the #define directive.
4. Global declaration section: There are some variables that are used in more than
one function. Such variables are called global variables and are declared in the
global declaration section that is outside of all the functions. This section also
declares all the user-defined functions.

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General Structure of C program
5. main () function section: Every C program must have one main function section. This
section contains two parts; declaration part and executable part
a) Declaration part: The declaration part declares all the variables used in the
executable part.
b) Executable part: There is at least one statement in the executable part. These two
parts must appear between the opening and closing braces. The program
execution begins at the opening brace and ends at the closing brace. The closing
brace of the main function is the logical end of the program. All statements in the
declaration and executable part end with a semicolon.
6. Subprogram section: If the program is a multi-function program then the subprogram
section contains all the user-defined functions that are called in the main () function.
User-defined functions are generally placed immediately after the main () function,
although they may appear in any order.
All sections, except the main () function section may be absent when they are not
required.
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Hello world program

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Formatting in C

• Statements are terminated with semicolons.

• Indentation to be used for increased readability.

• Free format: white spaces and indentation is ignored by compiler.

• New line is represented by \n (Escape sequence).

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Formatting in C
• C is case sensitive – pay attention to lower and upper case letters
when typing !
• All keywords and standard functions are lower case
• Typing MAIN, Main etc instead of main is a compiler error

• Strings are placed in double quotes

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C program for reading a number and display it on the screen
#include<stdio.h>
int main()
{
int num;
printf("\nEnter the number: ");
scanf("%d", &num);
printf("The number read is: %d", num);
return(0);
}

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scanf()
• scanf ( ) is used to obtain the value from the user through an input
device (keyboard).

• Eg: scanf(“%d”, &number);

int main(){
int num;
printf("\nEnter the number: ");
scanf("%d", &num);
printf(“The number read is: %d", num);
return(0);
}
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C program essentials: Format specifiers

Similarly, the format specifiers are used with printf( ) function for printing/displaying.
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Input/ Output functions
• C provides the printf( ) to display the data on the output device
(monitor).

• It is included in stdio.h int main() {

int num;
• Examples are:
printf("\nEnter the number: ");
• printf("programming isscanf("%d",
an art"); &num);
printf("The number read is: %d", num);
• printf("%d", number);
return(0);
• printf("%f%f", p, q); }

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Adding two integers
#include <stdio.h>
int main()
{/* start of function main */
int sum; /* variable in which sum will be stored */
int integer1; /* first number to be input by user */
int integer2; /* second number to be input by user */
printf( "Enter first integer\n" );
scanf( "%d", &integer1 ); /* read an integer */
printf( "Enter second integer\n" );
scanf( "%d", &integer2 ); /* read an integer */
sum = integer1 + integer2; /* assign total to sum */
printf( "Sum is %d\n", sum ); /* print sum */
return 0; /* indicate that program ended successfully */
} /* end of function main */

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Syntax and Logical errors
➢Syntax errors: violation of programming language rules (grammar).
➢Detected by the compiler

➢Eg: printf (“hello world”) // semicolon missing

➢Logical errors: errors in meaning:

➢Programs are syntactically correct but don’t produce the expected output

➢User observes output of running program

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Summary
✓Problem solving !

✓Program structure

✓Formatting

✓Input / Output

✓Simple C programs

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