Introduction to Computing 1

CHAPTER 2
BASIC ELEMENTS IN C++
Introduction to Computing 2

Outline
1. Program structures
2. Data types and operators
3. Variables and declaration statements
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Program structures
• A C++ program is a collection of functions.
• A function is a program segment that transforms the data
it receives into a finished result.

b result
axb

Fig 1. A multiplying function

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Program structures
• Module: a small segment which is designed to perform a
specific task
 Modules can be functions
• Modular program: a program consisting of interrelated
segments (modules) arranged in a logical and
understandable form
 Easy to develop, correct, and modify

Fig 2. A well-designed program is built using modules

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Function
• Each function must have a name.
• Rules for names or identifiers in C++:
 First character must be an uppercase or lowercase ASCII letter or
an underscore (_).
 Only letters, digits, or underscores may follow the initial letter (no
blanks allowed)
 Special characters, such as $, &, * or %, are not allowed
 Reserved words – keywords cannot be used for variable names.
 C++ is a case-sensitive language.
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Keyword

All keywords must be in lowercase

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Example of identifiers
• Find invalid identifiers

DegToRad E#6 FindMax1

Addnums addNums addnums

if YouAreBeautiful while

_density slope 1AB3

_ intersect hello

string-to-date dog friend

[email protected]
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Example of identifiers
• Find invalid identifiers

DegToRad E#6 FindMax1

Addnums addNums addnums

if YouAreBeautiful while

_density slope 1AB3

_ intersect hello

string-to-date dog friend

[email protected]
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The main() function

• The main() function is a
special function that runs
automatically when a
program first executes.
• All C++ programs must
include one main()
function. All other
functions in a C++
program are executed
from the main().

Fig 3. The main() function directs all other functions

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The main() function

• Function header line: the first line of a function, which
contains
• The type of data returned by the function (if any)
• The name of the function
• The type of data that must be passed into the function (if any)
• Arguments: the data passed into a function
• Function body: the statements inside a function (enclosed
in braces)
• Each statement inside the function must be terminated
with a semicolon “;”
• return: a keyword causing the appropriate value to be
returned from the function. It’s used to exit a function.
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The main() function

The line return 0; is included at the end of every main() function.

When the return statement is used at the end of main(), the value 0
indicates that the program has terminates successfully.
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The cout Object

• The cout object is an output object that sends data given
to it to the standard output display device.
• To send a message to the cout object, you use the
following pattern:
cout << “text”;
• The insertion operator, <<, is used for sending text to an
output device.
• The text portion of cout statement is called a text string.
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A simple program
#include <iostream> Header file
using namespace std; (Preprocessor directives)
int main()
{
cout << "Hello world!";
return 0;
}
• A header file is a file with an extension of .h that is
included as part of a program. It notifies the compiler that
a program uses run-time libraries.
• The iostream classes are used for giving C++ programs
input and output capabilities.
• The header file for the iostream class is iostream.h.
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Preprocessor directives
• Preprocessor directives: starts with a #. The preprocessor
is a program that runs before the compiler.
• #include <file name> : causes the named file to be
inserted into the source code
• C++ provides a standard library with many pre-written
classes that can be included
• Header files: files included at the head (top) of a C++
program
• Preprocessor directives and include statements allow the
current file to use any of the classes, functions, variables,
and other code contained within the included file.
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Preprocessor directives (cont.)

• using namespace <namespace name> : indicates
where header file is located
• A namespace is a specific named section of code within a
folder that is accessed by the compiler when it is looking
for prewritten classes or function.
• String: any combination of letters, numbers, and special
characters enclosed in double quotes (a delimiter)
• Delimiter: a symbol that marks the beginning and ending
of a string; not part of the string
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i/o manipulator
• An i/o manipulator is a special function that can be used
with an i/o statement.
• The endl i/o manipulator is part of iostream classes and
represents a new line character.

• Example:
cout << “Program type: console application” << endl;
cout << “Create with: Visual C++“ << endl;
cout << “Programmer: Don Gesselin” << endl;
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Comments
• Comments: explanatory remarks in the source code added
by the programmer
• Line comments: begin with two slashes (//) before the
comment text
 Line comment can be on a line by itself, or at the end of a line of code
 Line comment cannot be longer than one line
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Comments
• Block comments span multiple lines.
• Block comments begin with /* and end with */.
Ex:

/* This program solves a quadratic equation:

ax2 + bx +c = 0
This comment spans across 3 lines. */
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Data Types
• A data type is the specific category of information that a
variable contains.
• There are three basic data types used in C++: integers,
floating point numbers and characters.
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Integer Data Type

• An integer is a positive or negative number with no
decimal places.
• Examples:
- 259 -13 0 200
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Floating point number

• A floating point number contains decimal places or is
written using exponential notations.
• Examples
-6.16 -4.4 2.7541 10.5
90.1e3 0.89E8 -1.01e-1
•
• Note: 90.1e3 means 90.1×103
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Character data type

• Character data type store text.
• To store one character in a variable, you use the char
keyword and place the character in single quotation
marks.
• Example:
char cLetter = ‘A’;

• Escape sequence: the combination of a backlash (\) and a

special character
• Example:
\n move to the next line
\t move to the next tab
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Arithmetic Operators
• Arithmetic operators: perform mathematical calculations, such
as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

Operator Description
+ Add two operands
- Subtracts one operand from another operand
* Multiplies one operand by another operand
/ Divides one operand by another operand
% Divides two operands and returns the remainder

• A simple arithmetic expression consists of an arithmetic

operator connecting two operands in the form:
operand1 operator operand2
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Example The output of the program:

• Examples: 3+7 15.0 plus 2.0 equals 17
18 – 3 15.0 minus 2.0 equals 13
12.62 + 9.8 15.0 times 2.0 equals 30
12.6/2.0 15.0 divided by 2.0 equals 7.5

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
int main()
{
cout << "15.0 plus 2.0 equals" << (15.0 + 2.0) << '\n'
<< "15.0 minus 2.0 equals" << (15.0 - 2.0) << '\n'
<< "15.0 times 2.0 equals" << (15.0 * 2.0) << '\n'
<< "15.0 divided by 2.0 equals" << (15.0 / 2.0) << '\n';
return 0;
}
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Integer Division and % operator

• The division of two integers yields integer result.
• Example:
20/3 is 6
15/2 is 7
• Modulus % operator produces the remainder of an integer
division.
• Example:
9%4 is 1
17%3 is 2
14%2 is 0
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Operator Precedence and Associativity

• Expressions containing multiple operators are evaluated by the
priority, or precedence, of the operators.

Operator Associativity
unary - Right to left precedence
*/% Left to right
+- Left to right
• Example:
8+5*7%2*4
↓ ↓ ↓ ↓
4 1 2 3
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Variables
• One of the most important aspects of programming is storing
and manipulating the values stored in variables.
• Variable names are also selected according to the rules of
identifiers
• Example: Some valid identifiers
my_variable (python style)
MyVariable (pascal style)
myVariable (camel style , suggested style for C++)
Temperature
x1 x2
_my_variable
• Some invalid identifiers are as follows:
%x1 %my_var @x2
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Declaration Statements
• Declaration statement: specifies the data type and
identifier of a variable; sets up the memory location
• Syntax: <dataType> <variableName>;
• Data type is any valid C++ data type
• Example:
int count;
float sum;
• Declarations may be used anywhere in a function; usually
grouped at the opening brace
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Rules of variable declaration

• A variable must be declared before it can be used.
• Declaration statements can also be used to store an initial
value into declared variables.
• Multiple variables of the same data type can be declared
in a single declaration statement
• Example:
int num = 15;
float grade1 = 87.0;
double grade1, grade2, total, average;
• Note: Declaration statement gives information to the
compiler
• rather than a step in the algorithm.
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Assignment statements
• Assignment statement: used to store a value into a
variable
• Value of the expression on the right side of the = is
assigned to the memory location of the variable on the left
side of the =
• Examples:
num1 = 45;
num2 = 12;
total = num1 + num2;
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Example
#include <iostream> The output of the program:
The average grade is 91.25
using namespace std;
int main()
{
float grade1 = 85.5;
float grade2 = 97.0;
float total, average;
total = grade1 + grade2;
average = total/2.0; // divide the total by 2.0
cout << "The average grade is " << average << endl;
return 0;
}