Lecture 4

Control Structures
MIT – AITI 2004
What are Control Structures?
• Java will execute your code in a specific sequence
• Control structures are a way to alter the natural
sequence of execution in a Java program
• In other words, they act as “direction signals” to control
the path a program takes
• Control structures include:
• block statements
• decision statements
• loops
Decision Statements
If Statements
• The “if” decision statement executes a statement
conditionally
if (expression) {
statement;
}
next_statement;

• The expression must produce a boolean value, either

true or false
• If expression returns true, statement is executed and
then next_statement
• If expression returns false, statement is not executed
and the program continues at next_statement
expression is no
true?

if (expression)
statement yes
next_statement

execute
statement

execute
next_statement
If-Else Statements
• The basic “if” statement can be extended by adding the
“else” clause
if (expression) {
statement1;
}
else{
statement2;
}
next_statement;

• Again, the expression must produce a boolean value

• If expression returns true, statement1 is executed and

then next_statement is executed.

• If expression returns false, statement2 is executed and

then next_statement is executed.
yes no
expression is
true?

if (expression){
statement1
} else {
statement2 execute execute
} statement1 statement2
next_statement

execute
next_statement
• Here is an example of chained if-else statements:

if (grade == 'A')
System.out.println("You got an A.");
else if (grade == 'B')
System.out.println("You got a B.");
else if (grade == 'C')
System.out.println("You got a C.");
else
System.out.println("You got an F.");
Switch Statements
• The switch statement enables you to test several
cases generated by a given expression.
• The expression must produce a result of type char,
byte, short or int, but not long, float, or
double.
• For example:
switch (expression) {
case value1:
statement1;
case value2:
statement2;
default:
default_statement;
}
Every statement after the true case is executed
expression y
equals Do value1 thing
value1?
switch (expression){
case value1:
// Do value1 thing n
case value2:
// Do value2 thing
expression y
equals Do value2 thing
...
default: value2?
// Do default action
}
// Continue the program n
Do default action

Continue the
program
Break Statements in Switch Statements
• The break; statement tells the computer to exit the
switch statement
• For example:
switch (expression) {
case value1:
statement1;
break;
case value2:
statement2;
break;
default:
default_statement;
break;
}
expression y
equals Do value1 thing break
value1?
switch (expression){
case value1:
// Do value1 thing
break; n
case value2:
// Do value2 thing
break; expression y
equals Do value2 thing break
...
value2?
default:
// Do default action
break;
}
n
// Continue the program

Do default action

break Continue the

program
Remember the Example…
• Here is an example of chained if-else statements:

if (grade == 'A')
System.out.println("You got an A.");
else if (grade == 'B')
System.out.println("You got a B.");
else if (grade == 'C')
System.out.println("You got a C.");
else
System.out.println("You got an F.");
• Another way to do this same example is to use the
switch statement
• Complicated if-else chains can be rewritten with the
switch statement
switch (grade) {
case 'A':
System.out.println("You got an A.");
break;
case 'B':
System.out.println("You got a B.");
break;
case 'C':
System.out.println("You got a C.");
break;
default:
System.out.println("You got an F.");
}
Loops
• A loop allows you to execute a statement or block of
statements repeatedly.

• There are three types of loops in Java:

1. for loops
2. while loops
3. Do-while loops (will not discuss in this course)
The for Loop
for (initialization_expression;
loop_condition;
increment_expression){
//statement
}
• The control of the for loop appear in parentheses and is made up of
three parts.

1. The first part, the initialization_expression, sets the

initial conditions for the loop and is executed before the loop
starts.

2. Loop executes so long as the loop_condition is true and exits

otherwise
3. The third part of the control information, the
increment_expression, is usually used to increment the loop
counter. This is executed at the end of each loop iteration.
• For example:
int limit = 5;
int sum = 0;
for(int i = 1; i<=limit; i++){

/* initialization_expression
loop_condition
increment_expression */

sum += 2;
}

• What is the value of sum ?

10
• Another example:

for(int div = 0; div<1000; div++){

if(div % 12 == 0){
System.out.println(div+"is divisible
by 12");
}
}

•This loop will display every number from 0 to 999 that is

evenly divisible by 12.
• If there is more than one variable to set up or increment
they are separated by a comma.
for(i=0, j=0; i*j<1000; i++, j+=2){

System.out.println(i+"*"+j+"="+i*j);
}

• You do not have to fill every part of the control of the for
loop but you must still have two semi-colons.

for(int i=0; i<100; ){

sum+=i;
i++;
}
The while Loop
while (expression){
statement
}
• This while loop executes as long as the given logical
expression between parentheses is true. When
expression is false, execution continues with the
statement following the loop block.
• The expression is tested at the beginning of the loop, so
if it is initially false, the loop will not be executed at all.
• For example:

int limit = 7;
int sum = 0;
int i = 1;

while (i < limit){

sum += i;
i++;
}

• What is the value of sum ?

21
The for loop

The while loop

Initialize count

Test condition n
is true?
n
Test condition
is true?
y

Execute loop
y statement(?)

Execute loop
statement(s)

Next statement
Increment
count

New statement
The continue Statement
• The continue statement causes the loop to exit its current
“trip” through the loop and start over at the first statement of
the loop. Here are two examples:

Example 1:
int index = 0; The index is 1

while(index<=5){ The index is 2

index+=1; The index is 3
The index is 5
if(index==4){ The index is 6
continue;
}
System.out.println("The index is "+index);
}
• Example 2:

int sum = 0;
for(int i=1; i<=6; i++){
if(i%3==0){
continue;
}
sum += i;
}

• What is the value of sum?

12
Using the break Statement in Loops
• We have seen the use of the break statement in the switch
statement.
• In loops, you can use the break statement to exit the current
loop you are in. Here is an example:

int index = 0; The index is 1

while (index <= 10){ The index is 2

index++;
if(index==3)
break;
System.out.println("The index is"+index);
}
Nested Loops
• You can nest loops of any kind one inside another to any
depth. Here is a example:

int totalCount = 0;
while(totalCount<20){
for(int i = 0; i < 2; i++){
totalCount += i;
}
}
System.out.println(totalCount);
20
• Final example:

for (int i = 1; i <= 10; i++) {

if (i % 2 == 0 ) {
System.out.println("The number " + i + " is even.")
} else {
System.out.println("The number " + i + " is odd.")
}
POP QUIZ
1. In the switch statement expression must produce
a result of what type?
char, byte, short, int

2. What must be used to separate each section of a for

statement.

3. Which statement causes a program to go back to the

statement that began a loop and then keep going from
there.
4. Write a for loop that outputs 1001 in reverse
sequence.
5. Write a for loop that outputs all numbers that are
divisible by 3 between 0-50.
POP QUIZ
1. In the switch statement expression must produce a
result of what type?
char, byte, short, int

2. What must be used to separate each section of a for

statement.
; (semi-colon)

3. Which statement causes a program to go back to the

statement that began a loop and then keep going from
there.
4. Write a for loop that outputs 1001 in reverse
sequence.

5. Write a for loop that outputs all numbers that are

divisible by 3 between 0-50.
POP QUIZ
• In the switch statement expression must produce a
result of what type?
char, byte, short, int

• What must be used to separate each section of a for

statement. ; (semi-colon)

• Which statement causes a program to go back to the

statement that began a loop and then keep going from
there. continue
• Write a for loop that outputs 1001 in reverse
sequence.
• Write a for loop that outputs all numbers that are
divisible by 3 between 0-50.
POP QUIZ
• In the switch statement expression must produce a
result of what type?
char, byte, short, int

• What must be used to separate each section of a for

statement. ; (semi-colon)

• Which statement causes a program to go back to the

statement that began a loop and then keep going from
there. continue
• Write a for loop that outputs 1001 in reverse
sequence. for(int i=100; i>=0;i--)
{ System.out.println(i);}
• Write a for loop that outputs all numbers that are
divisible by 3 between 0-50.
POP QUIZ
• In the switch statement expression must produce a
result of what type?
char, byte, short, int

• What must be used to separate each section of a for

statement. ; (semi-colon)

• Which statement causes a program to go back to the

statement that began a loop and then keep going from
there. continue
• Write a for loop that outputs 1001 in reverse
sequence. for(int i=100; i>=0;i--)
{ System.out.println(i);}
• Write a for loop that outputs all numbers that are
divisible by 3 between 0-50.
for(int i=0;i<=50;i++) {
if(i%3 == 0) { SOP(i); }
}