CAVITE STATE UNIVERSITY

TRECE MARTIRES CITY CAMPUS DCIT 22 – Computer

Department of Information Technology Programming 1

Week 2: INTRODUCTION TO ALGORITHM AND FLOWCHART

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILO): After the completion of the chapter, students should be
able to:
 identify the concepts of algorithm and flowchart; and
 analyse and solve problems using algorithm, flowchart and pseudo code

Activity
 Flowcharting using Microsoft Visio / Microsoft Word / www.draw.io

Intelligence is one of the key characteristics which differentiate a human being from other living

things on the earth. Basic intelligence covers day by day problem solving and making strategies to handle

different situations which keep arising in day to day life. One person goes to Bank to withdraw money.

After knowing the balance in his account, he/she decides to withdraw the entire amount from his account

but he/she has to leave minimum balance in his account is one of the examples of basic intelligence.

During in his process of solving any problem, one tries to find the necessary steps to be taken in a

sequence. In this unit you will develop your understanding about problem solving and approaches.

Problem Solving

Can you think of a day in your life which goes without problem solving? Answer to this question if

of course, No. in your life we are bound to solve problems. In our day to day activity such as purchasing

something from a general store and making payments, depositing fee in school, or withdrawing money

from bank account. All these activities involve some kind of problem solving. It can be said that whatever

activity a human being or machine do for achieving a specified objective comes under problem solving.

To make it clearer, let us see some other examples.

Example 1: If you are watching a news channel on your TV and you want to change it to a sports

channel, you need to do something i.e. move to that channel by pressing that channel number on your

remote. This is a kind of problem solving.

Example 2: One Monday morning, a student is ready to go to school but yet he/she has not

picked up those books and copies which are required as per timetable. So here picking up books and

copies as per timetable is a kind of problem solving.

RICHARD A. ROCILLO
richard.rocillo@cvsu.edu.ph DCIT 22 – Computer Programming 1
 CAVITE STATE UNIVERSITY
TRECE MARTIRES CITY CAMPUS DCIT 22 – Computer
Department of Information Technology Programming 1

Example 3: If someone asks to you, what is time now? So seeing time in your watch and telling

him is also a kind of problem solving.

Example 4: Some students in a class plan to go on picnic and decide to share the

expenses among them. So calculating total expenses and the amount an individual have to give

for picnic is also a kind of problem solving.

Now, broadly we can say that problem is a kind of barrier to achieve something and problem

solving is a process to get that barrier removed by performing some sequence of activities

Here it is necessary to mention that all the problems in the world cannot be solved. There are some

problems which have no solution and these problems are called Open Problems.

If you can solve a given problem then you can also write an algorithm for it. In next section we will learn

what an algorithm is.

ALGORITHM

Algorithm can be defined as: “A sequence of activities to be processed for getting desired output

from a given input”. Webopedia defines an algorithm as: “A formula or set of steps for solving a particular

problem. To be an algorithm, a set of rules must be unambiguous and have a clear stopping point”. There

may be more than one way to solve a problem, so there may be more than one algorithm for a problem.

Now, if we take definition of algorithm as: “A sequence of activities to be processed for getting

desired output from a given input”.

Then we can say that:

1. Getting specified output is essential after algorithm is executed.

2. One will get output only if algorithm stops after finite time.

3. Activities in an algorithm to be clearly defined in other words for it to be unambiguous.

Before writing an algorithm for a problem, one should find out what is/are the inputs to the

algorithm and what is/are expected output after running the algorithm. Now let us take some exercises to

develop an algorithm for some simple problems: While writing algorithms we will use following symbol for

different operations:

RICHARD A. ROCILLO
richard.rocillo@cvsu.edu.ph DCIT 22 – Computer Programming 1
 CAVITE STATE UNIVERSITY
TRECE MARTIRES CITY CAMPUS DCIT 22 – Computer
Department of Information Technology Programming 1

‘+’ for Addition

‘-’ for Subtraction

‘*’ for Multiplication

‘/’ for Division and

‘←’ for assignment. For example A←X*3 means A will have a value of X*3.

Example of Algorithm

Problem 1: Find the area of a Circle of radius r.

Inputs to the algorithm:

Radius r of the Circle.

Expected output:
Area of the Circle

Algorithm:

Step1: Read\input the Radius r of the Circle

Step2: Area ← PI*r*r // calculation of area
Step3: Print Area

Problem2: Write an algorithm to read two numbers and find their sum.

Inputs to the algorithm:

First num1.
Second num2.

Expected output:
Sum of the two numbers.

Algorithm:

Step1: Start
Step2: Read\input the first num1.
Step3: Read\input the second num2.
Step4: Sum ← num1+num2 // calculation of sum
Step5: Print Sum
Step6: End

RICHARD A. ROCILLO
richard.rocillo@cvsu.edu.ph DCIT 22 – Computer Programming 1
 CAVITE STATE UNIVERSITY
TRECE MARTIRES CITY CAMPUS DCIT 22 – Computer
Department of Information Technology Programming 1

Problem 3: Convert temperature Fahrenheit to Celsius

Inputs to the algorithm:

Temperature in Fahrenheit

Expected output:
Temperature in Celsius

Algorithm:

Step1: Start
Step 2: Read Temperature in Fahrenheit F
Step 3: C ← 5/9*(F32)
Step 4: Print Temperature in Celsius: C
Step5: End

Type of Algorithms

The algorithm and flowchart, classification to the three types of control structures. They are:

1. Sequence

2. Branching (Selection)

3. Loop (Repetition)

These three control structures are sufficient for all purposes. The sequence is exemplified by

sequence of statements place one after the other – the one above or before another gets executed first.

In flowcharts, sequence of statements is usually contained in the rectangular process box.

 The branch refers to a binary decision based on some condition. If the condition is true,

one of the two branches is explored; if the condition is false, the other alternative is taken.

This is usually represented by the ‘if-then’ construct in pseudo-codes and programs. In

flowcharts, this is represented by the diamond-shaped decision box. This structure is also

known as the selection structure.

Problem1: write algorithm to find the greater number between two numbers

Step1: Start
Step2: Read/input A and B
Step3: If A greater than B then C=A
Step4: if B greater than A then C=B
Step5: Print C
Step6: End

RICHARD A. ROCILLO
richard.rocillo@cvsu.edu.ph DCIT 22 – Computer Programming 1
 CAVITE STATE UNIVERSITY
TRECE MARTIRES CITY CAMPUS DCIT 22 – Computer
Department of Information Technology Programming 1

-x, x<0
Problem2: write algorithm to find the result of equation: f (x) = { x, x>0

Step1: Start
Step2: Read/input x
Step3: If X Less than zero then F=-X
Step4: if X greater than or equal zero then F=X
Step5: Print F
Step6: End

Problem3: A algorithm to find the largest value of any three numbers.

Step1: Start
Step2: Read/input A,B and C
Step3: If (A>=B) and (A>=C) then Max=A
Step4: If (B>=A) and (B>=C) then Max=B
Step5: If (C>=A) and (C>=B) then Max=C
Step6: Print Max
Step7: End

 The loop allows a statement or a sequence of statements to be repeatedly executed based

on some loop condition. It is represented by the ‘while’ and ‘for’ constructs in most programming

languages, for unbounded loops and bounded loops respectively. (Unbounded loops refer to

those whose number of iterations depends on the eventuality that the termination condition is

satisfied; bounded loops refer to those whose number of iterations is known before-hand.)

In the flowcharts, a back arrow hints the presence of a loop. A trip around the loop is known

as iteration. You must ensure that the condition for the termination of the looping must be

satisfied after some finite number of iterations, otherwise it ends up as an infinite loop, a common

mistake made by inexperienced programmers. The loop is also known as the repetition structure.

Examples:

Problem1: An algorithm to calculate even numbers between 0 and 99

1. Start
2. I ← 0
3. Write I in standard output
4. I ← I+2
5. If (I <=98) then go to line 3
6. End

RICHARD A. ROCILLO
richard.rocillo@cvsu.edu.ph DCIT 22 – Computer Programming 1
 CAVITE STATE UNIVERSITY
TRECE MARTIRES CITY CAMPUS DCIT 22 – Computer
Department of Information Technology Programming 1
Problem2: Design an algorithm which gets a natural value, n, as its input and calculates odd

numbers equal or less than n. Then write them in the standard output:

1. Start
2. Read n
3. I ← 1
4. Write I
5. I ← I + 2
6. If ( I <= n) then go to line 4
7. End

Problem3: Design an algorithm which generates even numbers between 1000 and 2000 and

then prints them in the standard output. It should also print total sum:

1. Start
2. I ← 1000 and S ← 0
3. Write I
4. S ← S + I
5. I ← I + 2
6. If (I <= 2000) then go to line 3
else go to line 7
7. Write S
8. End

Problem4: Design an algorithm with a natural number, n, as its input which calculates the

following formula and writes the result in the standard output:

S = ½ + ¼ + … +1/n
1. Start
2. Read n
3. I ← 2 and S ← 0
4. S= S + 1/I
5. I ← I + 2
6. If (I <= n) then go to line 4
else write S in standard output
7. End

Combining the use of these control structures, for example, a loop within a loop (nested loops),

a branch within another branch (nested if), a branch within a loop, a loop within a branch, and

so forth, is not uncommon. Complex algorithms may have more complicated logic structure and

deep level of nesting, in which case it is best to demarcate parts of the algorithm as separate smaller

modules. Beginners must train themselves to be proficient in using and combining control

structures appropriately, and go through the trouble of tracing through the algorithm before they convert

it into code.

RICHARD A. ROCILLO
richard.rocillo@cvsu.edu.ph DCIT 22 – Computer Programming 1
 CAVITE STATE UNIVERSITY
TRECE MARTIRES CITY CAMPUS DCIT 22 – Computer
Department of Information Technology Programming 1
Properties of Algorithm

According to Donald Ervin Knuth has given a list of five properties for algorithm, these properties

are:

1) Finiteness: An algorithm must always terminate after a finite number of steps. It means after

every step one reach closer to solution of the problem and after a finite number of steps algorithm

reaches to an end point.

2) Definiteness: Each step of an algorithm must be precisely defined. It is done by well thought

actions to be performed at each step of the algorithm. Also the actions are defined unambiguously for

each activity in the algorithm.

3) Input: Any operation you perform need some beginning value/quantities associated with

different activities in the operation. So the value/quantities are given to the algorithm before it begins.

4) Output: One always expects output/result (expected value/quantities) in terms of output

from an algorithm. The result may be obtained at different stages of the algorithm. If some result is from

the intermediate stage of the operation then it is known as intermediate result and result obtained at the

end of algorithm is known as end result. The output is expected

value/ quantities always have a specified relation to the inputs

5) Effectiveness: Algorithms to be developed/written using basic operations. Actually operations

should be basic, so that even they can in principle be done exactly and in a finite amount of time by a

person, by using paper and pencil only.

FLOWCHART

The flowchart is a diagram which visually presents the flow of data through processing systems.

This means by seeing a flow chart one can know the operations performed and the sequence of

these operations in a system. Algorithms are nothing but sequence of steps for solving problems. So a

flow chart can be used for representing an algorithm. A flowchart, will describe the operations (and in

what sequence) are required to solve a given problem. You can see a flow chart as a blueprint of a

design you have made for solving a problem.

RICHARD A. ROCILLO
richard.rocillo@cvsu.edu.ph DCIT 22 – Computer Programming 1
 CAVITE STATE UNIVERSITY
TRECE MARTIRES CITY CAMPUS DCIT 22 – Computer
Department of Information Technology Programming 1
For example suppose you are going for a picnic with your friends then you plan for the activities

you will do there. If you have a plan of activities then you know clearly when you will do what activity.

Similarly when you have a problem to solve using computer or in other word you ne ed to write a

computer program for a problem then it will be good to draw a flowchart prior to writing a computer

program. Flowchart is drawn according to defined rules.

Flowchart Symbols

There are 6 basic symbols commonly used in flowcharting of assembly language

Programs: Terminal, Process, input/output, Decision, Connector and Predefined Process. This is

not a complete list of all the possible flowcharting symbols, it is the ones used most often in the

structure of Assembly language programming.

Symbol Name Function

Indicates any type of internal

Process operation inside the Processor or

Memory

Used for any Input / Output

(I/O) operation. Indicates that

input/output
the computer is to obtain data

or output results

Used to ask a question that can

Decision be answered in a binary

format (Yes/No, True/False)

Allows the flowchart to be

drawn without intersecting

Connector
lines or without a reverse

flow.

Used to invoke a subroutine or

Predefined Process
an Interrupt program.

RICHARD A. ROCILLO
richard.rocillo@cvsu.edu.ph DCIT 22 – Computer Programming 1
 CAVITE STATE UNIVERSITY
TRECE MARTIRES CITY CAMPUS DCIT 22 – Computer
Department of Information Technology Programming 1
Indicates the starting or ending

Terminal of the program, process, or

interrupt program

↑↓←→ Flow Lines Shows direction of flow.

General Rules for flowcharting

1. All boxes of the flowchart are connected with Arrows. (Not lines)

2. Flowchart symbols have an entry point on the top of the symbol with no other entry points. The exit

point for all flowchart symbols is on the bottom except for the Decision symbol.

3. The Decision symbol has two exit points; these can be on the sides or the bottom and one side.

4. Generally a flowchart will flow from top to bottom. However, an upward flow can be shown as long as it

does not exceed 3 symbols.

5. Connectors are used to connect breaks in the flowchart. Examples are:

• From one page to another page.

• From the bottom of the page to the top of the same page.

• An upward flow of more then 3 symbols

6. Subroutines and Interrupt programs have their own and independent flowcharts.

7. All flow charts start with a Terminal or Predefined Process (for interrupt programs or subroutines)

symbol.

8. All flowcharts end with a terminal or a contentious loop.

Flowcharting uses symbols that have been in use for a number of years to represent the type of

operations and/or processes being performed. The standardised format provides a common method

RICHARD A. ROCILLO
richard.rocillo@cvsu.edu.ph DCIT 22 – Computer Programming 1
 CAVITE STATE UNIVERSITY
TRECE MARTIRES CITY CAMPUS DCIT 22 – Computer
Department of Information Technology Programming 1
for people to visualise problems together in the same manner. The use of standardised symbols

makes the flow charts easier to interpret; however, standardizing symbols is not as important as the

sequence of activities that make up the process.

Some examples of Flowcharts

Now, we will discuss some examples on flowcharting. These examples will help in proper

understanding of flowcharting technique. This will help you in program development process in next unit

of this block.

Problem1: Find the area of a circle of radius r.

Problem 2: Convert temperature Fahrenheit to Celsius.

RICHARD A. ROCILLO
richard.rocillo@cvsu.edu.ph DCIT 22 – Computer Programming 1
 CAVITE STATE UNIVERSITY
TRECE MARTIRES CITY CAMPUS DCIT 22 – Computer
Department of Information Technology Programming 1

Problem 3: Flowchart for an algorithm which gets two numbers and prints sum of their value

Problem 4: Algorithm for find the greater number between two numbers.

RICHARD A. ROCILLO
richard.rocillo@cvsu.edu.ph DCIT 22 – Computer Programming 1
 CAVITE STATE UNIVERSITY
TRECE MARTIRES CITY CAMPUS DCIT 22 – Computer
Department of Information Technology Programming 1

Problem 5: Flowchart for the problem of printing even numbers between 9 and 100:

Problem 6: Flowchart for the problem of printing odd numbers less than a given number. It

should also calculate their sum and count.

RICHARD A. ROCILLO
richard.rocillo@cvsu.edu.ph DCIT 22 – Computer Programming 1
 CAVITE STATE UNIVERSITY
TRECE MARTIRES CITY CAMPUS DCIT 22 – Computer
Department of Information Technology Programming 1

Problem 7: Flowchart for the calculate the average from 25 exam scores.

RICHARD A. ROCILLO
richard.rocillo@cvsu.edu.ph DCIT 22 – Computer Programming 1
 CAVITE STATE UNIVERSITY
TRECE MARTIRES CITY CAMPUS DCIT 22 – Computer
Department of Information Technology Programming 1

Advantages of using Flowcharts

As we discussed flow chart is used for representing algorithm in pictorial form. This

pictorial representation of a solution/system is having many advantages. These advantages are as

follows:

1) Communication: A Flowchart can be used as a better way of communication of the logic of a

system and steps involve in the solution, to all concerned particularly to the client of system.

2) Effective analysis: A flowchart of a problem can be used for effective analysis of the

problem.

3) Documentation of Program/System: Program flowcharts are a vital part of good program

documentation. Program document is used for various purposes like knowing the components in

the program, complexity of the program etc.

4) Efficient Program Maintenance: Once a program is developed and becomes operational

it needs time to time maintenance. With help of flowchart maintenance become easier.

5) Coding of the Program: Any design of solution of a problem is finally converted into computer

program. Writing code referring the flowchart of the solution become easy.

RICHARD A. ROCILLO
richard.rocillo@cvsu.edu.ph DCIT 22 – Computer Programming 1