SECTION 07 / 13

Flowcharts: draw decisions and repetition

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A flowchart draws a procedure using shapes and arrows. It shows the order of operations, the choices that can be made, and the steps that repeat.

The complete loop checks for a card before reading it, increases Count once, then returns to the decision.
The complete loop checks for a card before reading it, increases Count once, then returns to the decision.
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Count the score cards

Use the supplied 30 score cards. No download or coding is needed.

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BhuvaneshMaths 68 · Erode
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0
Name
Bhuvanesh
Gender
M
DateOfBirth
7 Nov
CityTown
Erode
Mathematics
68
Physics
64
Chemistry
78
Total
210
HarishMaths 62 · Salem
CardNo
1
Name
Harish
Gender
M
DateOfBirth
3 Jun
CityTown
Salem
Mathematics
62
Physics
45
Chemistry
91
Total
198
ShashankMaths 57 · Chennai
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2
Name
Shashank
Gender
M
DateOfBirth
4 Jan
CityTown
Chennai
Mathematics
57
Physics
54
Chemistry
77
Total
188
RidaMaths 42 · Chennai
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3
Name
Rida
Gender
F
DateOfBirth
5 May
CityTown
Chennai
Mathematics
42
Physics
53
Chemistry
78
Total
173
RitikaMaths 87 · Madurai
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4
Name
Ritika
Gender
F
DateOfBirth
17 Nov
CityTown
Madurai
Mathematics
87
Physics
64
Chemistry
89
Total
240
AkshayaMaths 71 · Chennai
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5
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Akshaya
Gender
F
DateOfBirth
8 Feb
CityTown
Chennai
Mathematics
71
Physics
92
Chemistry
84
Total
247
SameerMaths 81 · Ambur
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6
Name
Sameer
Gender
M
DateOfBirth
23 Mar
CityTown
Ambur
Mathematics
81
Physics
82
Chemistry
87
Total
250
AdityaMaths 84 · Vellore
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7
Name
Aditya
Gender
M
DateOfBirth
15 Mar
CityTown
Vellore
Mathematics
84
Physics
92
Chemistry
76
Total
252
SuryaMaths 74 · Bengaluru
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8
Name
Surya
Gender
M
DateOfBirth
28 Feb
CityTown
Bengaluru
Mathematics
74
Physics
64
Chemistry
51
Total
189
ClarenceMaths 63 · Bengaluru
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9
Name
Clarence
Gender
M
DateOfBirth
6 Dec
CityTown
Bengaluru
Mathematics
63
Physics
88
Chemistry
73
Total
224
KavyaMaths 64 · Chennai
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10
Name
Kavya
Gender
F
DateOfBirth
12 Jan
CityTown
Chennai
Mathematics
64
Physics
72
Chemistry
68
Total
204
RahulMaths 97 · Bengaluru
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11
Name
Rahul
Gender
M
DateOfBirth
30 Apr
CityTown
Bengaluru
Mathematics
97
Physics
92
Chemistry
92
Total
281
SrinidhiMaths 52 · Chennai
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12
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Srinidhi
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F
DateOfBirth
14 Jan
CityTown
Chennai
Mathematics
52
Physics
64
Chemistry
71
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187
GopiMaths 65 · Madurai
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13
Name
Gopi
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M
DateOfBirth
6 May
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Madurai
Mathematics
65
Physics
73
Chemistry
89
Total
227
SophiaMaths 89 · Trichy
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14
Name
Sophia
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F
DateOfBirth
23 July
CityTown
Trichy
Mathematics
89
Physics
62
Chemistry
93
Total
244
GoutamiMaths 76 · Theni
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15
Name
Goutami
Gender
F
DateOfBirth
22 Sep
CityTown
Theni
Mathematics
76
Physics
58
Chemistry
90
Total
224
TauseefMaths 87 · Trichy
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16
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Tauseef
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M
DateOfBirth
30 Dec
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Trichy
Mathematics
87
Physics
86
Chemistry
43
Total
216
ArshadMaths 62 · Chennai
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17
Name
Arshad
Gender
M
DateOfBirth
14 Dec
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Chennai
Mathematics
62
Physics
81
Chemistry
67
Total
210
AbiramiMaths 72 · Erode
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18
Name
Abirami
Gender
F
DateOfBirth
9 Oct
CityTown
Erode
Mathematics
72
Physics
92
Chemistry
97
Total
261
VetrivelMaths 56 · Trichy
CardNo
19
Name
Vetrivel
Gender
M
DateOfBirth
30 Aug
CityTown
Trichy
Mathematics
56
Physics
78
Chemistry
62
Total
196
KalyanMaths 93 · Vellore
CardNo
20
Name
Kalyan
Gender
M
DateOfBirth
17 Sep
CityTown
Vellore
Mathematics
93
Physics
68
Chemistry
91
Total
252
MonikaMaths 78 · Bengaluru
CardNo
21
Name
Monika
Gender
F
DateOfBirth
15 Mar
CityTown
Bengaluru
Mathematics
78
Physics
69
Chemistry
74
Total
221
PriyaMaths 62 · Nagercoil
CardNo
22
Name
Priya
Gender
F
DateOfBirth
17 Jul
CityTown
Nagercoil
Mathematics
62
Physics
62
Chemistry
57
Total
181
DeepikaMaths 97 · Bengaluru
CardNo
23
Name
Deepika
Gender
F
DateOfBirth
13 May
CityTown
Bengaluru
Mathematics
97
Physics
91
Chemistry
88
Total
276
SiddharthMaths 44 · Madurai
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24
Name
Siddharth
Gender
M
DateOfBirth
26 Dec
CityTown
Madurai
Mathematics
44
Physics
72
Chemistry
58
Total
174
GeetaMaths 87 · Chennai
CardNo
25
Name
Geeta
Gender
F
DateOfBirth
16 May
CityTown
Chennai
Mathematics
87
Physics
75
Chemistry
92
Total
254
JKMaths 74 · Chennai
CardNo
26
Name
JK
Gender
M
DateOfBirth
22 Jul
CityTown
Chennai
Mathematics
74
Physics
71
Chemistry
82
Total
227
JaganMaths 81 · Madurai
CardNo
27
Name
Jagan
Gender
M
DateOfBirth
4 Mar
CityTown
Madurai
Mathematics
81
Physics
76
Chemistry
52
Total
209
NishaMaths 74 · Madurai
CardNo
28
Name
Nisha
Gender
F
DateOfBirth
10 Sep
CityTown
Madurai
Mathematics
74
Physics
83
Chemistry
83
Total
240
NaveenMaths 72 · Vellore
CardNo
29
Name
Naveen
Gender
M
DateOfBirth
13 Oct
CityTown
Vellore
Mathematics
72
Physics
66
Chemistry
81
Total
219
This counting flowchart initializes Count, tests for a card, processes one card, then follows the loop arrow back.
This counting flowchart initializes Count, tests for a card, processes one card, then follows the loop arrow back.

Learn the four main symbols

SymbolMeaningExample
Terminal (oval or rounded end shape)Start or end of the procedureStart; End
Process (rectangle)An action or variable updateCount ← Count + 1
Decision (diamond)A condition with True/False pathsMore cards in Pile 1?
Flowline (arrow)Direction and order of executionReturn to the loop test

Follow the counting flowchart

Start, set Count to zero, then test whether Pile 1 has a card. Follow Yes to pick a card, increase Count and move the card to Pile 2. Follow the back arrow to test again. Follow No to End. The final Count is the answer.

The essential rule is that a completed visit updates the intended state and removes or marks that card before the next visit. In the lecture’s count diagram, moving the card comes before incrementing; our diagram increments then moves. Both give the same count when both actions complete once per card.

Turn a counting chart into a summing chart

Replace Count ← 0 with Sum ← 0. Replace Count ← Count + 1 with Sum ← Sum + X.mathsMarks. The loop test and the card movement stay the same. This is pattern reuse: change the work done per record, not the entire structure.

Read the empty and one-card cases

For no cards, the first decision is No, and Count stays 0. For one card, there is one Yes traversal, one increment and one move; the next test is No. These tiny examples are an effective way to detect an incorrect loop.

Try it yourself

Which shape should contain “X.mathsMarks > 50?”

Show explained answer

A decision diamond. The comparison produces True or False and chooses a path.

Try it yourself

Which shape should contain “Sum ← Sum + 50”?

Show explained answer

A process rectangle, because it changes a stored value.

Try it yourself

Why test for more cards before picking one?

Show explained answer

The original pile can be empty, including before the first visit. You cannot pick a card that is not there.

Try it yourself

If the return arrow goes to Count ← 0, what is wrong?

Show explained answer

It reinitializes the counter every time and erases progress. The return arrow should go to the card-availability test, after initialization.

Source: Lecture 1.4 — Introduction to flowcharts. Small teaching datasets and diagrams are prepared for these notes; lecture and tutorial totals are identified explicitly.

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