Iterative Constructs Review

 what is a block? what is special about declaring a variable inside a block?

 what is the difference between while and do-while? Can one replace
the other?
 what does for do? Why is it needed? what is init-statement, expression,
post-statement in for? Can for replace while/do-while? is reverse
possible?
 what is loop variable? Where is it declared in for? What is its scope?
 how is break used inside an iterative construct?
 what is continue? how is it used?
 what is iterate-and-keep-track idiom? what is tracking variable?
 what’s a nested iterative construct? what is inner/outer loop? How many
loops can be nested in C++?

1
Predefined Functions

library code
 Name, Return Value, Argument
 function – named group of statements carrying out a particular task that
accepts values and computes the result
 function name – identifier distinguishing the function from others

– example – square root function: sqrt

 argument – the value accepted by the function to use in computation
 return value - value computed by the function
 function accepts arguments of certain type and returns the value of certain
type
 sqrt accepts and returns double
 C++ comes with libraries of code that can be reused in your programs. The
code comes in the form of pre-defined functions
 what is the program that adds pre-defined functions to your code to
produce executable?
 sqrt is a predefined function
 to use a function, need to specify particular include directive:
 to use sqrt #include <cmath>

3
 Invocation, Argument Variants
 function call (function invocation) – executing function code from elsewhere in program
 syntax: expression consisting of function name followed by arguments in
parentheses
result = sqrt(9.0);
 semantics: argument is evaluated, function is executed, return value replaces
function invocation
 invocation forms
 in expression – return value replaces invocation in expression evaluation

result = sqrt(9.0) – myVar*5;

 standalone – return value is ignored

srand(55);
 argument variants
 function may have more than one argument

result = pow(myVar, 55);

 an argument is an (arbitrary) expression

result = sqrt(myVar*2 + 9.0);

 nested function call: use of one function call as argument to another

result = sqrt(abs(myVar));
4
 Type Changing Functions
 is there a problem with this code?
int a=9, b=2;
double c=a/b;

 casting – explicit type conversion

 static_cast<type> converts to type
 example:

int a=9, b=2;

double c=static_cast<double>(a)/b;
 wrong application of casting:

int a=9, b=2;

double c=static_cast<double>(a/b);

 coercion – implicit type conversion

example:
int a=55;
double c = a + 30;
integer expression coerced to double before assignment

5
 Random Number Generation
 (pseudo) random number generation pre-defined functions are used to create events
unpredictable by user (e.g. events in games)
 need to include <cstdlib>
 generates a series of numbers, numbers within single series are (pseudo) random
 srand(seed) – initializes random number generator, needs to be invoked once in the
program, no return value
 seed – integer, selects the (pseudo) random series
 rand() – returns a new integer random number in the series, can be used multiple
times in program, no argument
 the number is from 0 to MAX_RAND – a named constant declared in <cstdlib>
 ranged random idiom:
 to get a random number in a specific range, take a remainder of that range.
Example, random number between 0 and 9 can be obtained as:
int myRandValue = rand() % 10;
 if range does not start at zero, add starting value. Example, random number from 5
to 14:
int myRandValue = rand() % 10 + 5;
6
Selecting Random Series with time()
 time(nullptr) – returns number of seconds since 01/01/1970, good
for initializing unique series, needs <ctime>
 nullptr is there for historical reasons
 selecting series
 srand(1); - repeats series every time you run your program –
good for debugging
 srand(time(nullptr)); - selects unpredictable series every
time you run your program – good for final compilation

srand() rand() invocation

seed 1 2 3 4 5 6
1 41 18467 6334 26500 19169 15724
1 41 18467 6334 26500 19169 15724
2 45 29216 24198 17795 29484 19650
2 45 29216 24198 17795 29484 19650 time()
14987 9212 26926 31604 11201 32623