C Control Structures

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Stawa•

Course Overview

Dive into the world of C control structures. Master the art of decision-making with if statements and switch cases, and harness the power of iteration with for and while loops. These fundamental concepts are crucial for creating dynamic and efficient C programs.

What You'll Learn

If Statements

Learn how to make decisions in your code using if statements

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Switch Statements

Explore multi-way decision making with switch statements

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For Loops

Master the art of iteration with for loops

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While Loops

Understand and implement while loops for conditional iteration

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Why Control Structures Matter

Understanding control structures is vital for any C programmer. These concepts form the backbone of program flow and logic, allowing you to create sophisticated, efficient, and robust C programs that can handle complex decision-making and repetitive tasks.

If Statements

Basic If Statement

The simplest form of decision making in C

#include <stdio.h>

int main() {
    int x = 10;
    if (x > 5) {
        printf("x is greater than 5\n");
    }
    return 0;
}

Output

x is greater than 5

An if statement allows you to execute a block of code only if a certain condition is true.

Best Use Case

Use when you need to execute code conditionally based on a single condition.

If-Else Statement

Make decisions between two alternatives

#include <stdio.h>

int main() {
    int age = 20;
    if (age >= 18) {
        printf("You are an adult\n");
    } else {
        printf("You are a minor\n");
    }
    return 0;
}

Output

You are an adult

An if-else statement allows you to execute one block of code if the condition is true, and another if it's false.

Best Use Case

Use when you need to choose between two different actions based on a condition.

Switch Statements

Basic Switch Statement

Multi-way decision making using switch

#include <stdio.h>

int main() {
    int day = 4;
    switch (day) {
        case 1:
            printf("Monday");
            break;
        case 2:
            printf("Tuesday");
            break;
        case 3:
            printf("Wednesday");
            break;
        case 4:
            printf("Thursday");
            break;
        case 5:
            printf("Friday");
            break;
        default:
            printf("Weekend");
    }
    return 0;
}

Output

Thursday

A switch statement allows you to select one of many code blocks to be executed.

Best Use Case

Use when you have multiple conditions based on a single variable or expression.

For Loops

Basic For Loop

Iterate a specific number of times

#include <stdio.h>

int main() {
    for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
        printf("%d ", i);
    }
    return 0;
}

Output

0 1 2 3 4

A for loop repeats a block of code a specified number of times.

Best Use Case

Use when you know in advance how many times you want to execute a block of code.

While Loops

While Loop

Repeat a block of code while a condition is true

#include <stdio.h>

int main() {
    int i = 0;
    while (i < 5) {
        printf("%d ", i);
        i++;
    }
    return 0;
}

Output

0 1 2 3 4

A while loop continues to execute a block of code as long as a specified condition is true.

Best Use Case

Use when you want to repeat a block of code as long as a condition is true, and you don't know in advance how many iterations will be needed.

Do-While Loop

Execute a block of code at least once, then repeat while a condition is true

#include <stdio.h>

int main() {
    int i = 0;
    do {
        printf("%d ", i);
        i++;
    } while (i < 5);
    return 0;
}

Output

0 1 2 3 4

A do-while loop is similar to a while loop, but it executes the code block at least once before checking the condition.

Best Use Case

Use when you want to ensure that a block of code executes at least once, regardless of the condition.

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