Li

Four basic flow chart shapes

Terminal symbol
Terminal symbols could be used where the program either START or STOP. The START is the 1st step of the program while the STOP is the last one. There is one arrow out of the START symbol and one arrow into the STOP symbol.

Process symbol
There is always exactly one arrow going into the Process symbol and one arrow coming out. There is no need to write the word PROCESS within the symbol. The process symbol must contain a variable followed by an equal sign, and then a constant or a variable or a formula. The formats of variables are following. Variable names must begin with a letter, e.g., JackLi. Spaces are not allowed anywhere in the variable name, e.g., Tienfu Li is not legal for variable. Special characters such as %^*&$@- are not allowed anywhere in the variable name. Digits are allowed but have to start with a letter, e.g., JJ211. A process symbol is NOT algebra. If process symbol is written COUNT=COUNT+1, it is legal in computer program, even it is totally not allowed in algebra. When computer gets to a Process symbol, its reading order is following. The computer will first determine the value of whatever is written on the right hand side (r.h.s.) of the equal sign. The computer will store the value of the r.h.s. into the variable that is on the left hand side (l.h.s.) of the equal sign. Be attention that the equal sign doesnt mean equality but just assignment symbol.

INPUT or OUTPUT symbol

Li There is always exactly one arrow going into the Input or Output symbol and one arrow coming out. The Input symbol must have the word INPUT written at the top of the Input symbol. Same format applies to Output symbol as well.

In Input symbol, the symbol must contain a <variable list>. The <variable list> is a list of one or more variables separated by commas, e.g., X,Y,Z. When the computer gets to the Input symbol, it will wait for user to type the variable information by the order, e.g., X,Y,Z. The order in which the pieces of information are typed matter. Under the word OUTPUT, there is always a <output list>, a comma-separated list of one or more constants, variables, or formulas. The OUTPUT symbol allows computer to display something the program wants to show on the screen. A literal string of characters can be added into the <output list> of the Output symbol by quotation mark, in conjunction with the variables, e.g., Your final grade is, weighted grade, in the CIS-1030-02.

Decision symbol
Decision symbol has exactly one arrow going into it and two arrows coming out. The Decision symbol must contain a <condition>. The <condition> is a question that has a yes/no answer. Each of the out-arrows of the Decision symbol must be labeled: one by the word yes and the other no. They can be true and false, instead of yes and no. In Decision symbol, the question has to be answered either yes or no, e.g., Is the patients heart rate greater than 100 bpm?, instead of How many bpm is the patients heart rate. The standard mathematical operations, such as greater than, less than and equal to are all accepted for use in a Decision symbol.