Six (6) Basic Symbols in Flowchart

ALGORITHM WRITING

FLOWCHART AND PSEUDO CODE

An Algorithm is a step-by-step procedure to solve a given problem.

On the other hand, Procedure is a finite sequence of well-defined instructions, each of which can be carried out in a finite amount of time.

What is flow-chart? Flow chart is a type of diagram that represents an algorithm or process.

 

What is Pseudo-code? A pseudo-code is a compact and informal high-level description of a program.

 

Some Flow-chart symbols, Meaning and implementation

 

Symbols	Meaning & Usage
	Name: Terminal Meaning: Indicates the starting or ending of the program. Usage: Used to Initialize/Start or to  Stop/Terminate a program
	Name: Input/Output Meaning: Indicates the Input or Output of program Usage: Used to Indicate the Input (Enter) or Output (Display) a program
	Name: Process Meaning: Indicates any type of internal operations. Also called instruction box. Usage: Used for calculations, operations and can even be used for Initialization or to Start a program.
	Name: Decision Meaning: Indicates any logical operation like Decision making etc Usage: Used for asking questions that returns True or False and then make decision based on that.
	Name: Connector Meaning: Indicates breaks in the program Usage: Used to connect breaks in a flowChart
	Name: Control Flow Meaning: Show direction of flow Usage: Used to indicate the moving of the flowchart

 

Flow-chart Rules:

1.               Flowchart is generally drawn from top to bottom

2.             All boxes of flowchart must be connected with arrow.

3.             All flowchart start with a Terminal or process symbol.

4.             Decision symbol have 2 exist points, one for YES (True) and another for NO (False).

Sample of Flow-chart:

Exercises:

Now, try  this exercises, we will solve them in the next article.

a.              Develop an Algorithm to calculate the sum of squares of given input of numbers. Create the flowchart and pseudo-code  of the algorithm above

b.             Develop an algorithm that reads in three numbers and writes them all in sorted order. Also Create the flowchart and pseudo-code  of the algorithm above.

c.               Using Algorithm, flowchart and pseudo code, calculate a running sum: a user will enter numbers that will be added to the sum and when a negative number is encountered, stop adding numbers and write out the final result.

Thank You...

To Be Continued...