Introduction to Flowcharting
This slide is based upon Appendix C from Starting Out with C++: From
Control Structures to Objects (5th Edition), Tony Gaddis 2007,
Published by Addison-Wesley
Contents
o Flowchart
o Basic flowchart symbols
o Stepping through the flowchart
o Three flowchart structures
o Examples
o Exercises
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START
What is a Flowchart? Display
message “How
many hours did
you work?”
o A flowchart is a diagram that Read Hours
depicts the “flow of control” of a
program. Display message
“How much do
you get paid per
hour?”
Read PayRate
Multiply Hours
by PayRate.
Store result in
GrossPay.
Display
GrossPay
END
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START
What is a Flowchart? Display message
“How many
hours did you
work?”
o A flowchart Read Hours
• shows logic of an algorithm
Display message
• emphasizes individual steps “How much do
you get paid per
hour?”
and their interconnections
e.g. control flow from one action Read PayRate
to the next
Multiply Hours
by PayRate.
Store result in
GrossPay.
Display
GrossPay
END
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Rounded START
Rectangle
Basic Flowchart Symbols Display
message “How
many hours did
you work?”
o Three types of symbols in this Read Hours
flowchart:
Display message
• rounded rectangle “How much do
you get paid per Parallelogram
hour?”
• parallelogram
• rectangle Read PayRate
Multiply Hours
by PayRate.
Rectangle Store result in
o Each symbol represents a GrossPay.
different type of operation. Display
Rounded GrossPay
Rectangle
END
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Terminal START
Basic Flowchart Symbols Display
message “How
many hours did
you work?”
o Terminals Read Hours
• represented by rounded rectangles
Display
• indicate a starting or ending point message “How
much do you get
paid per hour?”
Read PayRate
START
Multiply Hours
by PayRate.
Store result in
GrossPay.
END
Display
GrossPay
Terminal
END
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START
Basic Flowchart Symbols Display
message “How
many hours did
you work?”
o Input/Output Operations Read Hours
• represented by parallelograms
Display
• indicate an input or output operation message “How
much do you get
Input/Output
paid per hour?” Operation
Read PayRate
Display
Multiply Hours
message “How by PayRate.
many hours did Read Hours Store result in
GrossPay.
you work?”
Display
GrossPay
END
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START
Basic Flowchart Symbols Display
message “How
many hours did
you work?”
o Processes Read Hours
• represented by rectangles
Display
• indicates a process such as a message “How
much do you get
paid per hour?”
mathematical computation or
variable assignment Read PayRate
Multiply Hours by Multiply Hours
PayRate. Store result in by PayRate.
Process Store result in
GrossPay. GrossPay.
Display
GrossPay
END
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START
Stepping Through the Flowchart Display
message “How
many hours did
you work?”
We will step through each symbol in the
flowchart. We will show the program output Read Hours
and the contents of the variables.
Display
message “How
much do you get
paid per hour?”
Read PayRate
Multiply Hours
by PayRate.
Store result in
Variable Contents: GrossPay.
Hours: ?
PayRate: ?
GrossPay: ? Display
GrossPay
END
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START Step 1: An
Output
Stepping Through the Flowchart Display
message “How
many hours did
Operation
you work?”
Screen Read Hours
How many
hours did Output
you work?
Display
message “How
much do you get
paid per hour?”
Read PayRate
Multiply Hours
by PayRate.
Store result in
Variable Contents: GrossPay.
Hours: ?
PayRate: ?
GrossPay: ? Display
GrossPay
END
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START
Stepping Through the Flowchart Display
message “How
many hours did
you work?”
How many
Step 2: An Input Read Hours
hours did Operation
you work?
(User types 40) Display
40 message “How
much do you get
paid per hour?”
Read PayRate
Multiply Hours
by PayRate.
Store result in
Variable Contents: GrossPay.
Hours: 40
PayRate: ? The value 40 is stored in
GrossPay: ? Hours. Display
GrossPay
END
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START
Stepping Through the Flowchart Display
message “How
many hours did
you work?”
Screen Read Hours
How much
do you get Output
paid per
Display
hour? message “How
Step 3: An much do you get
Output paid per hour?”
Operation
Read PayRate
Multiply Hours
by PayRate.
Variable Contents: Store result in
GrossPay.
Hours: 40
PayRate: ?
GrossPay: ? Display
GrossPay
END
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START
Stepping Through the Flowchart Display
message “How
many hours did
you work?”
Read Hours
How much
do you get
paid per
Display
hour? 20 message “How
much do you get
paid per hour?”
Step 4: Input Read PayRate
Operation
(User types Multiply Hours
20) by PayRate.
Variable Contents: Store result in
GrossPay.
Hours: 40
PayRate: 20
GrossPay: ? The value 20 is stored in Display
PayRate. GrossPay
END
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START
Stepping Through the Flowchart Display
message “How
many hours did
you work?”
Read Hours
How much
do you get
paid per
Display
hour? 20 message “How
Step 5: The product much do you get
paid per hour?”
of Hours times
PayRate is stored in
GrossPay
Read PayRate
Multiply Hours
by PayRate.
Store result in
Variable Contents: GrossPay.
Hours: 40
PayRate: 20
GrossPay: 800 Display
GrossPay
The value 800 is
stored in GrossPay.
END
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START
Stepping Through the Flowchart Display
message “How
many hours did
you work?”
Screen Read Hours
Your gross
pay is 800 Output
Display
message “How
much do you get
paid per hour?”
Read PayRate
Multiply Hours
by PayRate.
Store result in
Variable Contents: GrossPay.
Hours: 40
PayRate: 20
GrossPay: 800 Step 6: An Display
GrossPay
Output Operation
END
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Three Flowchart Structures
▪ Sequence
▪ Selection
▪ Iteration
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Sequence Structure
o A series of actions are performed in sequence
o The pay-calculating example was a sequence flowchart.
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Selection Structure
o One of two possible actions is taken, depending on a condition.
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Selection Structure
o A new symbol, the diamond, indicates a yes/no question.
• If the answer to the question is yes, the flow follows one path.
• If the answer is no, the flow follows another path
NO YES
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Selection Structure
o In the flowchart segment below, the question “is x < y?” is asked.
• If the answer is no, then process A is performed.
• If the answer is yes, then process B is performed.
NO YES
x < y?
Process A Process B
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Selection Structure
o The flowchart segment below shows a decision structure is
expressed in C++ as an if/else statement.
NO YES
x < y?
Calculate a Calculate a as
as x plus y. x times 2.
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Iteration Structure
o An iteration structure represents part of the program that repeats.
This type of structure is commonly known as a loop.
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Iteration Structure
o Notice the use of the diamond symbol.
o A loop tests a condition,
• and if the condition exists, it performs an action.
• Then it tests the condition again. If the condition still exists, the action is
repeated.
• This continues until the condition no longer exists.
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Iteration Structure
o In the flowchart segment, the question “is x < y?” is asked.
• If the answer is yes, then Process A is performed.
• The question “is x < y?” is asked again. Process A is repeated as long as x is
less than y.
• When x is no longer less than y, the iteration stops and the structure is
exited.
YES
x < y? Process A
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Controlling an Iteration Structure
o The action performed by an iteration structure MUST eventually
cause the loop to terminate.
o Otherwise, an infinite loop is created.
o In this flowchart segment, x is never changed. Once the loop starts,
it will never end.
YES
x < y? Display x
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Controlling an Iteration Structure
o x is never changed. Once the loop starts, it will never end.
o How can this flowchart be modified so it is no longer an infinite
loop?
YES
x < y? Display x
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Controlling an Iteration Structure
o By adding an action within the iteration that changes the value of x.
YES
x < y? Display x Add 1 to x
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A Pre-Test Iteration Structure
o This type of structure is known as a pre-test iteration structure. The
condition is tested BEFORE any actions are performed.
YES
x < y? Display x Add 1 to x
o if the condition does not exist, the loop will never begin.
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A Post-Test Iteration Structure
o This flowchart segment shows a post-test
iteration structure. Display x
o The condition is tested AFTER the actions
are performed. Add 1 to x
o A post-test iteration structure always
performs its actions at least once. YES
x < y?
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Connectors
o Sometimes a flowchart will not fit on one page.
o A connector (represented by a small circle) allows you to connect
two flowchart segments.
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Connectors
o The “A” connector indicates that the second flowchart segment
begins where the first segment ends.
START A
END
A
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Modules
o A program module, such as a subprogram (or function in C++), is
represented by a special symbol.
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Modules
START
• The position of the module symbol
indicates the point the module is Read Input.
executed.
Call calc_pay
function.
• A separate flowchart can be constructed
for the module. Display results.
END
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Combining Structures
o This flowchart
segment shows two NO YES
selection structures x > min?
combined.
Display “x is NO YES
outside the limits.”
x<
max?
Display “x is Display “x is
outside the limits.” within limits.”
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Examples
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Example 01
Step 1: Input M1,M2,M3,M4
Step 2: GRADE (M1+M2+M3+M4)/4
Step 3: if (GRADE <50) then
Print “FAIL”
else
Print “PASS”
endif
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Example 01
Step 1: Input M1,M2,M3,M4 START
Step 2: GRADE (M1+M2+M3+M4)/4 Input
M1,M2,M3,M4
Step 3: if (GRADE <50) then
Print “FAIL” GRADE(M1+M2+M3+M4)/4
else
Y GRADE<5 N
Print “PASS” 0
endif
Print “FAIL” Print “PASS”
STOP
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Example 02
o Write an algorithm and draw a
flowchart to convert the length in feet
to centimeter.
o Pseudocode:
Input the length in feet (Lft)
Calculate the length in cm
(Lcm) by multiplying Lft with
30
Print length in cm (Lcm)
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Example 02
o Write an algorithm and draw a START
flowchart to convert the length in feet Input
to centimeter. Lft
Lcm Lft x 30
o Pseudocode:
Print
Input the length in feet (Lft) Lcm
Calculate the length in cm
(Lcm) by multiplying Lft with STOP
30
Print length in cm (Lcm)
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Example 03
o Write an algorithm and draw a flowchart that will read the two
sides of a rectangle and calculate its area.
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Example 03
o Write an algorithm and draw a flowchart that will calculate the
roots of a quadratic equation.
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Example 03
o Write an algorithm and draw a flowchart that will calculate the
roots of a quadratic equation.
o Hint:
d = sqrt(b2 - 4ac),
if d < 0, there is no root.
else if d == 0, x1 = x2 = -b/2a
else the roots are: x1 = (–b + d)/2a and x2 = (–b – d)/2a
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Example 04
o Write an algorithm that reads two values, determines the largest
value and prints the largest value with an identifying message.
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Example 05
o Write an algorithm that reads three numbers and prints the value
of the largest number.
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Exercises
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Exercises
o Check whether an input year is a leap year.
• Ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leap_year#Algorithm
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Exercises
o Electricity cost calculator:
• Ref: https://www.evn.com.vn/c3/evn-va-khach-hang/Bieu-gia-ban-le-dien-
9-79.aspx
• Ref: https://www.evn.com.vn/c3/calc/Cong-cu-tinh-hoa-don-tien-dien-9-
172.aspx
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Questions and Answers
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