Lecture 02
Problem Solving, Pseudocode
& Flowcharts
Instructor: Mr. Waqar Ashiq
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Problem Solving
• Programming is a process of problem solving
• Problem solving techniques
− Analyze the problem
− Outline the problem requirements
− Design steps (algorithm) to solve the problem
• Algorithm:
− Step-by-step problem-solving process
− Solution achieved in finite amount of time
C++ Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design, Third Edition 2
Problem Solving Process
• Step 1 - Analyze the problem
− Outline the problem and its requirements
− Design steps (algorithm) to solve the problem
• Step 2 - Implement the algorithm
− Implement the algorithm in code
− Verify that the algorithm works
• Step 3 - Maintenance
− Use and modify the program if the problem
domain changes
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C++ Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design, Third Edition
Example
Design algorithm to find the perimeter and area of a
rectangle.
Analyze the problem:
• To find the perimeter and area of a rectangle, we
need to know the rectangle’s length and width.
The perimeter and area of rectangle is given by the
following formula:
Perimeter = 2 . (length + width)
Area = length . width
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Example (continues)
Design algorithm:
1. Get length of Rectangle.
2. Get width of Rectangle.
3. Find the perimeter using the following equation:
Perimeter = 2 . (length + width)
4. Find the area using the following equation:
Area = length . width
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Levels of Program Development
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1. Define the problem. →Human thought
2. Plan the problem solution. → writing the
algorithm [pseudo-natural language (English,
Arabic) or drawing the flowchart diagram).
3. Code the program. → High Level
Programming Language (C, C++, Java, …)
4. Compile the program. → Machine Code
5. Run the program.
6. Test and debug the program.
we learn that
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When planning for a problem solution, algorithms are
used to outline the solution steps using
Simplified version of programming codes, written in plain
English, English like statements, called pseudocode.
or
A flowchart , which is a graphical representation of
an algorithm.
Algorithm
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Pseudocode is a simplified version of programming
codes, written in plain English language and used to
outline a program before its implementation.
Pseudocode Example
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Write a Program to Print the Sum of two integer
Numbers
1. Start the program
2. Read the first number and save in the variable ( N1 )
3. Read the second number and save in the variable (
N2 )
4. Sum the both numbers and save the result in the
variable ( Sum ) ➔ Sum = N1 + N2
5. Print the variable ( Sum )
6. End the program
Flowchart
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A flowchart is a type of diagram that represents
an algorithm , showing the steps as boxes of various
kinds [ex: rectangles, diamonds, ovals], and their
order by connecting these with arrows.
Flowcharts Symbols
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End Start Oval -> Start/End
Print n1 Read n1 Parallelogram -> Read/Print or
Input / Output
N2 = n1+3 N2 = 5 Rectangle -> Arithmetic
Operations / Processing
n1 > 3 Diamond -> Decision , can be
used with loops
Arrows -> Represent the Flow
Solution
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start
Draw a flowchart for a program that calculates
Read L, W
and print the area and the perimeter of
a rectangle.
Input
area = L * W
Length
width perimeter = 2 (L+W)
Processing
Area = length*width Print area
Perimeter = 2*( length + width)
Output Print perimeter
Area
Perimeter End
Example 2
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Draw the flow chart for a program that calculates
the total salary for an employee using this equation:
Total_Sal = Salary +Overtime
Solution
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Input start
Salary
Overtime Read Salary
Processing
Total_Sal = Salary +Overtime
Read Overtime
Output
Total_Sal =
Total_Sal
Salary +Overtime
Print Total_Sal
End
Example 3
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Draw a flowchart for a program that calculates and
prints the sum of the even integers from 2 to 30.
Input
No input.
Processing
Sum = 2+4+6+8+……+28+30.
Output
sum
Solution
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Pesudocode:
◼ Start the program
◼ Create a variable to hold a counter from 2 to 30.
◼ Initialize the counter to 2.
◼ Create a variable to hold the sum.
◼ Initialize the sum to zero.
◼ Loop While the counter is less-than-or-equal to 30
◼ add the counter to the sum
◼ add two to the counter.
◼ repeat until the counter reach 30
◼ Print the sum.
◼ End of program
Solution
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Start
Counter=2, Sum=0
yes
no
Counter≤30
yes
Sum= Sum + Counter
Counter=Counter+2
Print Sum
End
Example 4
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Draw a flowchart for a program that determine if
the temperature degree is above or below freezing.
Input
Temp.
Processing
Check if Temp is below the 32 → below freezing.
Check if Temp is above the 32 → above freezing.
Output
Print “below freezing” or “above freezing”
Solution
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Example 5
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Draw a flowchart for a program that accepts a
person’s initial bank balance followed by a
sequence of numbers representing transactions. A
positive number represents a credit entry in the
account and a negative number represents a debit
entry. The input is terminated by a zero entry. The
program should print the new balance.
Solution
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Input
bank balance.
transactions
Processing
balance = balance + transaction.
Output
balance
Solution
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Start
Read balance
Read transaction
balance =balance + transaction
Transaction !=0
yes
no
Print balance
End
Example 6
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Draw a flowchart for a program that calculates the
Zakat, where the user enter the amount of money
then the program show the zakat.
◼ Zakat =(2.5/100) * amount.
Zakat is not calculated if the amount is less than 1000
S.R
Solution
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Input
amount.
Processing
Check if amount is below 1000 → Zakat =0.
Check if amount is above 1000→ Zakat =(2.5/100) *
amount
Output
Zakat
Solution
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Start
Read amount
yes
no
Amount > 1000
Zakat =0. Zakat =(2.5/100)*amount
Print Zakat
End
