Pseudo Code Guide

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Contents
Introduction Sequence Assignment Input Display Selection If-Else Iteration (Repetition) For While Programs Subprograms: Subroutines and Functions Subroutines Functions Keywords

Introduction
Pseudo code (or Structured English) is used to specify program logic in a (somewhat) English like manner, that aims to be independent of any particular programming language. This simplifies program development by separating it into two main parts, logic design and coding. The use of pseudo code allows the programmer to focus on the logic of the program rather than implementation details such as how data is displayed Once the logic is developed, coding becomes the translation of the pseudo code into the required programming language.

Sequence
Assignment
Format
variable = expression

Examples
total = 0 y = x * x + z / 4 - 1 name = "Joan Smith"

validLength = True

Input
Format
Input variable, variable, ...

Examples
Input custName Input distance, speed

Display
Format
Display value, value, ...

Examples
Display "Hello World" Display totalPrice, taxPayable Display "Customer Number: ", custNum, "Name: ", custName

Selection
If-Else
Format
IF condition THEN statement statement ... ENDIF

IF condition THEN statement statement ... ELSE statement statement ... ENDIF

IF condition THEN statements ELSE IF condition THEN statements ELSE IF condition THEN statements ELSE statements ENDIF ENDIF ENDIF

IF condition THEN statements ELSE IF condition THEN statements ELSE IF condition THEN statements ELSE statements ENDIF

Note: the Else part is optional. Use it where required by the logic. Examples
IF lineNumber > 50 THEN Display "" Display "Student Number", "Student Name" lineNumber = 0 ENDIF

IF monthNumber >= 1 AND monthNumber <= 12 THEN Display "valid month" ELSE Display "invalid month" Display "Month must be between 1 and 12" ENDIF

IF mark >= 80 THEN grade = "A" comment = "Excellent" ELSE IF mark >= 70 THEN grade = "B"

ELSE IF mark >= 60 THEN grade = "C" ELSE IF mark >= 50 THEN grade = "D" ELSE grade = "N" comment = "Poor" ENDIF ENDIF ENDIF ENDIF

IF mark >= 80 THEN grade = "A" comment = "Excellent" ELSE IF mark >= 70 THEN grade = "B" ELSE IF mark >= 60 THEN grade = "C" ELSE IF mark >= 50 THEN grade = "D" ELSE grade = "N" comment = "Poor" ENDIF

Iteration (Repetition)
For
Format
FOR counter = start-value to end-value DO statement statement ... ENDFOR

Example
FOR x = 1 to 10 DO xSquared = x * x Display x, xSquared ENDFOR

While
Format
WHILE condition DO statement statement ... ENDWHILE

Example
count = 1 WHILE count <= 10 DO Display count Add 1 to count ENDWHILE

Programs
Format
program-name() statement statement ... STOP

Example
addTwoNumbers() Input number1, number2 sum = number1 + number2 Display sum STOP

Subprograms: Subroutines and Functions

Subroutines
Subroutines are also called procedures or void methods. Subroutines do not return a value. Format - subroutine calls
subroutine-name() subroutine-name(parameter, parameter, ...)

Examples - subroutine calls in a program

demoProgram() ... displayTenStars() displayAverage(count, total) STOP

Format - subroutine declarations

subroutine-name() statement statement ... EXIT subroutine-name(parameter, parameter, ...) statement statement ... EXIT

Examples - subroutine declarations

displayTenStars() FOR numStars = 1 to 10 DO Display "*" ENDFOR Display "" EXIT displayAverage(count, total) IF count > 0 THEN average = total / count Display average ELSE Display "Error, nothing to average" ENDIF EXIT

Functions
Functions are also called non-void methods. Functions return a single value. Format - function calls
function-name() function-name(parameter, parameter, ...)

Examples - function calls in a program

demoProgram() ...

month = inputMonth() IF oddNumber(month) THEN ... ENDIF volume = 4 /3 * PI * cube(radius) max = maximumNumber(a, b) STOP

Format - function declarations The following are called functions. They return a single value.
function-name() statement statement ... RETURN with value function-name(parameter, parameter, ...) statement statement ... RETURN with value

Examples - function declarations

inputMonth() Input monthNumber WHILE monthNumber < 1 OR monthNumber > 12 DO Display "Error invalid month number" Input monthNumber ENDWHILE RETURN with monthNumber oddNumber(num) oddNumber = false IF num modulus 2 = 0 THEN oddNumber = true ENDIF RETURN with oddNumber cube(number) cube = number * number * number RETURN with cube maximumNumber (number1, number2) IF number1 >= number2 THEN maximumNumber = number1 ELSE maximumNumber = number2 ENDIF RETURN with maximumNumber

Keywords

The following words have a special meaning in Pseudo Code (in this subject) and should only be used for the purposes described above. AND, DO, ELSE, ENDIF, ENDFOR, ENDWHILE, EXIT, FOR, IF, NOT, OR, RETURN, STOP, THEN, TO, WHILE. Other statements: Display, Input Operators: =, +, -, *, /, (), <, <=, >, >=, [] Basic Language Guide | Data Dictionary Guide | Defining Diagram Guide | Desk Check Guide | Java Language Guide | Unix Guide
Last modified 03-Jan-2005 by Tim Whitfort. Copyright 2003-2005 Tim Whitfort