Practice:

Write down algorithms using Pseudocode

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Strongly recommend (1)
 Be consistent!
 Keywords should be standard English words
 Use keywords (if/then/else, while, for, repeat/until, case, return, go to)
 Notation (variable←value, Array[index],bigger > smaller, etc.).
 Indent everything carefully and consistently for nested loops and
conditionals.
 Don’t add braces or begin/end tags
 Short variable names are good, but readability is more important than
concision
 Short but complete words are better than single letters.
 Absolutely never use pronouns!

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Strongly recommend (2)
 Use standard mathematical notation. For example,
 write x·y instead of x∗ y for multiplication;
 write x mod y instead of x% y for remainder;
 write instead of sqrt(x) for square roots;
 write ab instead of power(a,b) for exponentiation;
 Avoid mathematical notation if English is clearer. For example, ‘Insert a into X’ may
be preferable to INSERT(X,a) or X ←X∪{a}.
 Each statement, structuring element should fit on one line, such as
 for, while, if
 But Not i←i+1; j← j−1; k←0.
 Don’t use a fixed-width typeface to typeset pseudocode; such as
 use italics for variables,
 SMALL CAPS for algorithms and constants,
 and a different typeface for literal strings and comments. 3
Example

Write an algorithm that calculates and prints the

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Pseudocode
Input: no input.
Output: the summation of all even numbers from 2 to 10.

Step 1: Start
Step 2: Create a variable to hold the sum.
Step 3: Initialize the sum to zero.
Step 4: Create a variable to hold the counter.
Step 5: Initialize the counter to 2.
Step 6: If counter is larger than 10, go to Step 10.
Step 7: Add counter to the sum.
Step 8: Add 2 to the counter.
Step 9: Go to Step 6.
Step 10: Print sum.
Step 11: Stop. 5
Shorter Pseudocode

BEGIN
Set sum to 0
Set count to 2
while (count <= 10) do
Add count to sum
Add 2 to count
endwhile
Print sum
END

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 Compact Pseudocode

sum  0 Set sum  0

Set sum ← 0
Set counter ← 2
REPEATE
sum ← sum + counter
counter ← counter + 2
UNTIL counter > 30
PRINT sum
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 Trace table
Sum Count Count <= 10 Output
0
2
True
2
4 sum  0
True count  2
6 while (count <= 10)
6 sum  sum + count
True count  count + 2
12 endwhile
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Print sum
True
20
10
True
30
12
False
30
Exercises
1. Write an algorithm to read three numbers then display the largest.
 Use a trace table to determine what is printed by the algorithm if the input values are the
following:
(a) 8,9,10 (b) 9,8,8 (c) 9,8,10
2. Given a positive integer number n from the user, write an algorithm to compute the
product of all positive integers smaller than or equal to n. Print the result.
 Use a trace table to determine what is printed by the algorithm when n = 5.
3. Write an algorithm to read two numbers then display all odd numbers between them.
 Use a trace table to determine what is printed by the algorithm if the input values are the
following:
(a) 3,10 (b) 9,3 (c) 9,9 (d) 6,6
4. Given an integer n from the user then display whether or not n is a prime number?
 Use a trace table to determine what is printed by the algorithm if n is the following:
 (a) 10 (b) 2 (c) 17

5. Given a positive integer number n from the user, write an algorithm to count all odd
numbers from 1 to n and print the result.
 Use a trace table to determine what is printed by the algorithm when n = 17.
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Exercises (cont.)
6. Write an algorithm that asks the user for a positive number. If the input
is not a positive number, the program should keep asking until the user
enters a positive number.
 Use a trace table to determine what is printed by the algorithm if the user
enter following values:
10, 5.5, -10, abc, 0, 6.
7. Modify the algorithm in exercise 6 so that the user keeps track of how
many times the user enters a “wrong” number. Print this at the end.
 Use a trace table to determine what is printed by the algorithm if the
input values are the following:
(a) 10 (b) -10, -9, -8, abc, 10
8. Modify the algorithm in exercise 7 so that the program will be
terminated if the user does not enter a “right” number within 5
attempts.

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