CS1102

Fundamentals of Programming
Lecture 2 (Flowcharts and Pseudocode)

2023/11/20

Bachelor of Information Technology

Department of Computing
Faculty of Computing and Technology
Saegis Campus
Nugegoda

Udaya Perera(MSc in IT(Reading),B.Eng SE, SQA 9 SE)

1
 Flowcharts
and Pseudocodes

An algorithm is a representation of a solution to a problem.

In the problem-solving phase of computer programming,
you will be designing algorithms. These algorithms can be
designed though the use of flowcharts or pseudocode.

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 Flowcharts

A flowchart is a pictorial
representation of the logic. A
flowchart is a diagram made up of
boxes, diamonds and other shapes,
connected by arrows - each shape
represents a step in the process, and
the arrows show the order in which 3
 Basic Symbols of a Flow Chart

✔ Process ✔ input/output

Indicates any type of Used for any Input / Output (I/O)

internal operation inside operation. Indicates that the
the Processor or Memory computer is to obtain data or
output results

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 Basic Symbols of a Flow Chart

✔ Flow Lines ✔ Decision

Shows direction of flow. Used to ask a question that can

Connect the steps be answered in a binary format.
Has two flow lines: (Yes/No,
True/False).

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 Basic Symbols of a Flow Chart

✔ Terminal ✔ Connector

Indicates the starting or Allows the flowchart to be

ending of the program, drawn without intersecting lines
process, or interrupt or without a reverse flow.
program. Show the sequence of
statements
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 Find the error

Example: Flow chart to

get
the summation of two
numbers

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 Back-pointing
Arrows
Back-pointing arrows
show statements that will
be repeated.

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 Infinite loop
A sequence of statements
that repeats forever with
no escape.
We can test for a
predetermined value that
means “stop processing”.

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Sentinel value (or
dummy value)
A preselected value that
stops the execution of a
program. We can use
these values with input
from files or users.

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End-of-file (EOF)
marker
Use this instead of
sentinel value for file
input. This marks the end
of data in a file that the
program reads.

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 Flowchart connector
symbol
• Marks a logic transfer to another location
in the flowchart
• Transfer location can be on the same page
or on another page
On-page symbol: A circle with a number or
letter to identify the matching transfer
location
Off-page symbol: A square with a pointed
bottom, containing page number and a
number of letters to identify the matching
transfer location
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 Four Flowchart Structures

•Sequence
•Decision
•Repetition
•Case

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 Sequence Structure

•A series of actions are performed in

sequence

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Start

End 15
 Decision Structure

Flowchart
• The flowchart segment below
NO YES shows how a decision structure is
x < y?
expressed.
Calculate Calculate
a as x plus a as x
y. times 2.

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 Decision Structure

Flowchart

NO YES
• The flowchart segment below
x < y? shows a decision structure with
only one action to perform.
Calculate
a as x
times 2.

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 Repetition Structure

Flowchart

• The flowchart segment below

YES shows a repetition structure
x < y? Add 1 to x

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 Controlling a Repetition
Structure
• The action performed by a repetition structure must eventually cause the
loop to terminate. Otherwise, an infinite loop is created.
• In this flowchart segment, x is never changed. Once the loop starts, it will
never end.
• QUESTION: How can this
YES
flowchart be modified so x < y? Display x
it is no longer an infinite
loop?
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 Controlling a Repetition
Structure

• ANSWER: By adding an action within the repetition that changes

the value of x.

YES
x < y? Display x Add 1 to x

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Write a flow chart to make a cup of tea

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Exercise
What is the output of
the given flowchart?

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Iteration 1: Iteration 2:
i = 2 i = 4
print = 2+1 = 3 print = 4+1 = 5
print 3 print 5
i = 2+2 = 4 i = 4+2 = 6

Iteration 3:
i = 6
print = 6+1 = 7
print 7
Output: 3 5 7 i = 6+2 = 8
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Exercise
Draw a flowchart to get the sum of numbers user enter. When the user enter -1
as the input the program should stop taking input and calculating the sum and
the program should display the sum

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25
Flowchart Example
Example: N=3

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Flowchart Example
Example: N=3

Step 1: F=1*1=1

Step 2: F=1*2=2

Step 3: F=2*3

F = 6

F = 1*2*3
From wikipedia.org 27
 START
Input
Flowchart Example N
Sum =0
C=0
Input
number
Sum = Sum + number
Give the output when N = 3 C=C+1
C
No
=
N? Yes
A = Sum / N

Print
A

END 28
Example: N=3
Number = 2
Step 1: Sum = 0+2=2
C=0+1=1
Number = 6
Step 2: Sum = 2+6=8
C=1+1=2
Number = 4
Step 3: Sum = 8+4=12
C=2+1=3

Sum=2+6+4=12
A=12/3=4
Output: 4

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Lab work 1
• Draw a flowchart to find the
product of two numbers using
only addition operation

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31
Lab work 2
• Draw a flowchart to find the
division of two integer numbers
using only subtraction operation.
Find the division and remainder.

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Example: a=4
b=2
Step 1: a = 4-2=2
m=0+1=1
Step 2: a = 2-2=0
m=1+1=2
Division = 2
Remainder = 0

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 Pseudocode

✔ Pseudocode is an English-like representation of the logical steps it takes

to solve a problem.
✔ Pseudo is a prefix that means false, and to code a program means to put
it in a programming language; therefore, pseudocode simply means false
code, or sentences that appear to have been written in a computer
programming language but do not necessarily follow all the syntax
rules of any specific language.
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35
 Some useful keywords that
you can use on
Pseudocodes
START: This is the start of your pseudocode.
INPUT: This is data retrieved from the user through typing or
through an input device.
READ / GET: This is input used when reading data from a data
file.
PRINT, DISPLAY, SHOW: This will show your output to a
screen or the relevant output device.
COMPUTE, CALCULATE, DETERMINE: This is used to
calculate the result of an expression.
SET, INIT: To initialize values
INCREMENT: To increase the value of a variable
DECREMENT: To reduce the value of a variable 36
Exercise
Write a pseudocode for multiplying a number by 2

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38
Activity 1
Write pseudocode to find the sum of two numbers.

Start
Prompt user to enter two numbers
Store the first input in a variable
Store the second input in b variable
Calculate the sum of the two numbers
Display the result to the user
End

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Activity 2
Write pseudocode to find the average of three numbers.

Start
Prompt user to enter three numbers
Store the first input in a variable
Store the second input in a variable
Store the third input in a variable
Calculate the sum of the three numbers
Divide the sum by 3 to find the average
Display the average to the user
End
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Activity 3
Write pseudocode to check if a number is even or odd.
Start
Prompt user to enter a number
Store the input in a variable
Divide the number by 2 and check for the
remainder
If the remainder is 0, display that the
number is even
If the remainder is not 0, display that the
number is odd
End
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