- Define what a flowchart is and its role in visual algorithm design.
- Identify the basic symbols used in a flowchart (Terminator, Process, Input/Output).
- Interpret a simple flowchart that shows the sequence of a program.
Tool 3: Flowcharts (The Visual Blueprint)
While pseudocode is a great text-based recipe for your program, sometimes it's helpful to see the logic. A flowchart is a diagram that visualizes the step-by-step flow of your program. It uses standard shapes to represent different types of actions and arrows to show the direction of control.
The Basic Symbols
For now, we only need to know a few basic shapes:
- Oval (Terminator): Represents the Start and End of the program.
- Rectangle (Process): Represents an action or calculation (e.g.
area = π * r * r). - Parallelogram (Input/Output): Represents getting data from a user (
GET) or displaying data (DISPLAY). - Arrow (Flow Line): Connects the shapes and shows the direction of the program’s logic.
Example: The "Circle Area Calculator" Flowchart
Here’s the same logic from pseudocode visualized as a flowchart:
Visual Learners: See It Explained
Here’s a good video that walks through flowchart basics and how to build one:
“How to Create Programming Flowchart | ALGORITHM AND FLOWCHART”
Later, we’ll add the diamond (decision) shape to show branching (yes/no) logic. For now, focus on straight sequence flowcharts.
Interactive Sandbox
Use this space to practice writing code and complete the "Your Turn" activities above.