Loop logic structure

CSC1101 PLF

Lesson 7: PROBLEM SOLVING WITH LOOP LOGIC STRUCTURE

Objectives:
Develop problem solutions for the computer using the seven program
development tools, the sequential logic structure, the decision logic structure, and
the loop logic structure.
Use the three types of loop instructions in problem solutions.
Use nested loops in problem solutions.
Several standard types of tasks are accomplished through the use of the loop structure.
Two of these are counting (also called incrementing and decrementing), and
accumulating (also called calculating a sum or a total).

For counting purpose, some languages use base-zero system where the first
element of the array will start from zero not one.
The programmer needs to add 1 to the system so that the first element in the
array will start from one for easy reference.
Some languages use base-one system and it is easier for the programmer to
understand since the first element is the first box, second element is the
second box, and so on.
The counter
The counter is used to count the loop repetitions and it is known as incrementing.
It is used to count the number of items, people, temperatures and so on.
To write the instruction to increment a variable, an assignment statement needs to be
used.
Initialize the counter before starting the loop
Plus sign (+) used to increment the counter
Remark:
Counter is a
variable.

Syntax:
Counter = 0
Counter = Counter + 1

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Loop logic structure

CSC1101 PLF

Negative numbers used to decrement the counter:

Syntax:
Counter = 5
Counter = Counter 1

The accumulator
The accumulator used to accumulate or sum up the values.
Syntax:
Totalsales = 0
Totalsales = Totalsales + Sales { Sales is the input variable}
Example
Totalsales
100
300
600

Sales
100
200
300

The Loop Logic Structure

This is the repeating structure.
There are two types of control loop:
o Counter-Controlled loop
Use when the number of times of repeating certain statement(s) is known.
The number of times of looping is fixing by the programmer in the coding.
It is programmer-defined.
The loop is control by a counter statement in the coding.
The types of looping logic structures used:
While/while-end loop
Repeat-until loop
Automatic Counter loop

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CSC1101 PLF

o Flag/sentinel controlled loop

When the number of times of looping is unknown by the programmer,
where it is defined by the user.
The looping is control through a sentinel/flag value enter by the user.
The types of loop logic structures use are:
While/while-end loop
Repeat-until loop
Three types of loop logic structures:
1. WHILE/WHILE-END loop
- repeats the instructions while a condition is TRUE, and stop repeating when it is
FALSE.
2. REPEAT/UNTIL loop
- repeat instructions while condition is FALSE or until a condition is TRUE.
3. Automatic-counter loop
- repeat instructions in a fixed number of times that based on a given number.

While/While-End Loop
Repeats instruction while a condition is TRUE and stops repeating when a condition is
FALSE.
Syntax:
While <Condition(s)>
<Instruction>
<Instruction>
While-End
Trip value / Flag used to control the loop or terminate the loop repetition

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Loop logic structure

CSC1101 PLF

FLOWCHART ILLUSTRATES THE WHILE LOOP LOGIC STRUCTURE

Begin

While
<Condition
>

T
Instruction

Instruction

Repeat/ Until
A
set
statements

of
will

End

Loop

instructions between the repeat-until

be repeated until the condition is TRUE.

Syntax:
Repeat
<Instruction>
< Instruction>
Until <Condition(s)>

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Questions:
Use the above questions to develop the solutions by using REPEAT/UNTIL method.
FLOWCHART ILLUSTRATES THE REPEAT/UNTIL LOOP LOGIC STRUCTURE
Begin

Repeat
Instruction

Instruction

F
Until
<Condition
>

T
End

Automatic Counter Loop

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Loop logic structure

CSC1101 PLF

Increments or decrements a variable each time the loop is repeated.

To design this, the programmer uses a variable as a counter that starts counting at a
specific number and increments the variable each time the loop is processed.
Syntax: (incremental method)
Loop: Counter = Begin to End Steps

Syntax: (decremental method)

Loop: Counter = Begin downto End
Steps

<Instruction>

<Instruction>

<Instruction>

<Instruction>

Loop-end: Counter

Loop-end: Counter

Example:
Loop : c = 1 to 3 step 1
Display c
End-loop: c

Loop : c = 3 downto 1 step 1

Display c
End-loop: c

When incrementing the counter, remember the following rules:

1. When the computer executes the LOOP instruction, it sets the counter equal to the
beginning number.
2. When the computer executes the LOOP-END, it increments the counter.
3. When the counter is less than or equal to the ending number, the processing continues
at the instruction that follows the LOOP instruction. When the counter is greater than
the ending number, the processing continues at the instruction that follows the
LOOP-END instruction.

Precondition loop
Referred as input assertions.
They are comments that indicate what can be expected to be TRUE before the loop is
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entered
Example, WHILE/WHILE-END
E.g.
Num = 56
While num > 0
Display num
Enter num
While-end
Postcondition Loop
Referred as output assertions
They are comments that indicate what can be expected to be TRUE when the loop is
exited.
Example: REPEAT/UNTIL
E.g.
REPEAT
ENTER num
DISPLAY num
UNTIL num < 0
Nested Loops
Each loop must be nested inside the loop just outside it.
Example:
Loop: x = 1 to 4 step 1
Loop: y = 1 to 3 step 1
Print *
End-loop: y
Print w/o
End-loop: x

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CSC1101 PLF

Loop logic structure

Indicators (trip value)

Indicators are logical variables that a programmer sets within a program to change the
processing path or to control when the processing of a loop should end.
They are sometimes called flag, switches or trip values.
For example, an indicator for AGE might be 0 or 500 or 300. An indicator for an error
could be a variable with the value TRUE when an error has occurred, and FALSE when
there have been no errors.

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