4/6/2025

4. Loops
do, while and for Constructs

Yacoub Sabatin
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Loops
• A loop is a statement whose job is to repeatedly
execute some other statements (loop body).
• Loops have:
– Controlling Expression
(condition)
– & Loop Body

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Loops
• C Supports: three types of loops:
– while, do while and for;
– All have:
• Controlling Expression &
• Loop Body
• while loop: Keeps repeating an action until an associated
test returns false;
– Useful where the programmer does not know in
advance how many times the loop will be traversed.
• do while loop: Similar to while, but the test occurs after
the loop body is executed.
– This ensures: loop body is run at least once.
•for loop: Frequently used, where the loop will be
traversed a fixed number of times.
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while loop
• while loop is used to evaluate a block of code
(statements) as long as some condition is true. (while loop
repeated until condition becomes false)
– If the condition is false, from the start the block of
code is not executed at all.
– Syntax is as follows
while (tested condition is satisfied ){
statement
}
Controlling expression
• Psuedocode:
While there are more items on my shopping list
Purchase next item and cross it off my list

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• Consider:
int counter = 1; // initialization
while ( counter <= 10 ) // Repetition condition
{
printf(“ %d\n “, counter );
++counter;
} // increment

true
product <= 1000 product = 2 * product

false

int product = 2;
while ( product <= 1000 )
product = 2 * product;
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•Example 1:
int number=99;
while (number != 999)
{
printf(\n Input Value=%d\n“, number);
scanf(“%d”, &number); //number is updated
}

• Example 2:
x = 0;
while (x < 100);
x++; // Infinite loop!

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• Condensed code: Make the program more concise!

– Initialize counter to 0
• while ( ++counter <= 10 )
printf( “%d\n, counter );
Example 3: This program counts from 1 to 100.
#include <stdio.h>
int main()
{
int count = 1;
while (count <= 100)
{
printf("%d\n", count);
count += 1; //count = count + 1
}
return 0;
}
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Example 4: Nested while loops used to print out multiplication tables:

int i=1, j=1;
while(i <= 12) //goes "down" page
{
j = 1;
while(j <= 12) //goes "across" page
{
printf(" %3d",i*j);
j++;
}
printf("\n"); //end of line
i++;
}

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24
3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24 27 30 33 36
4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40 44 48
5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60
6 12 18 24 30 36 42 48 54 60 66 72
7 14 21 28 35 42 49 56 63 70 77 84
8 16 24 32 40 48 56 64 72 80 88 96
9 18 27 36 45 54 63 72 81 90 99 108
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120
11 22 33 44 55 66 77 88 99 110 121 132
12 24 36 48 60 72 84 96 108 120 132 144
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• Example5: Develop a C code to sum a series of integers?

• Reasoning/Think: Queries to ask & answer!:
– Number of Integers we need to sum up?
– How can we keep entering the integers Loop!
– How many times: Unknown!
– How can we stop the loop (To avoid infinite loop)!
• Analysis:
– Output: Sum_Of_Integers;
– Input: Number of Integers (Integer);
– Process:
• Sum_Of_Integers=0;
• Read Integer;
• while (Integer !=0){
Sum_Of_Integers = Sum_Of_Integers + Integer;
Read Integer;}
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• Algorithm:
1. Start;
2. Sum_Of_Integers = 0;
3. Read Integer;
4. while (Integer !=0){
Sum_Of_Integers = Sum_Of_Integers + Integer;
Read Integer;}
5. Output Sum_Of_Integers;
6. End.

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• Code:
#include <stdio.h>
main()
{
int Integer, Sum_Of_Integers;
Sum_Of_Integers = 0;
printf(“\n Please enter an integer you
need”);
printf(“\n Please enter 0 to stop”);
scanf(“%d”, &Integer);
while (Integer !=0){
Sum_Of_Integers += Integer;
scanf(“%d”, &Integer);}
printf(“\n The sum of the entered
Integers=%5d”, Sum_Of_Integers);
return 0;
}
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•Can you modify this to calculate the Average? The

factorial? Sine and cosine (using Taylor series)?
Estimate PI maybe? ex ?

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• Example 6: A class of ten students took a quiz. The grades

(integers in the range 0 to 100) for this quiz are to be
read. Determine the class average on the quiz?
– Pseudo code:
Set total to zero
Set grade counter to one
While grade counter is less than or equal to ten
Input the next grade
Add the grade into the total
Add one to the grade counter
Set the class average to the total divided by ten
Print the class average.
– Convert the above Pseudo code to a C code!
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• Example 7: A college has a list of test results (1 = pass, 2 =

fail) for 10 students. Develop a C program that analyzes
the results. If more than 8 students pass, print "Raise
Tuition“. After understanding the Pseudo code, code in C!
• Reasoning:
– The program must process 10 test results
• Counter-controlled loop will be used
– Two counters can be used
• One for number of passes, one for number of fails
– Each test result is a number—either a 1 or a 2
• If the number is not a 1, we assume that it is a 2
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• Pseudo code:
Initialize passes to zero
Initialize failures to zero
Initialize student to one
While student counter is less than or equal to ten
Input the next exam result
If the student passed
Add one to passes
else
Add one to failures
Add one to student counter
Print the number of passes
Print the number of failures
If more than eight students passed
Print “Raise tuition”
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Do Loop
• do loop executes a block of code as long as a condition is
satisfied (true).
• The difference between a do & while loop is:
– while loop tests its condition at top of its loop;
 i.e. if the test condition is false as the while loop is
entered the block of code is skipped.
– do loop tests its condition at bottom of its loop
i.e. Since the condition is tested at the bottom of a do
loop, its block of code is always executed at least once;
 Syntax:
do {
block of code (statement);
} while ( condition / Expression is
satisfied);
17 C_Prog. Spring 2012

Do While Loop

action(s)

true
condition
false

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• Example 1: What is the output of the following segment

of code:
int x = 21;
do
p r i n tf ( “ x = % d ” , x + + ) ;
while (x < 100);

A printout of a list of numbers 21 to 99!

• Example 2:
i n t c o u n t er = 1 ;
do {
p r i n tf ( " % d ", counter );
} w h i l e ( + + c o unt er < = 1 0 ) ;
19 Prints the integers from 1 to 10

Example 3: A game that allows a user to guess a number

between 1 and 100.
We will use: A do loop since we know that winning the
game always requires at least one guess!

number = 44;
do {
Read guess;
i f ( g u e s s > n u m b e r ) { p r i n t f ( "T o o H i g h \ n ") ; }
i f ( g u e s s < n u m b e r ) { p r i n t f ( " T o o L o w \ n ") ; }
} while (guess != number)
Output number;
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#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
main()
{ int guess, number = 44
p r i n t f ( " Guess a number between 1 & 100\ n " ) ;
do {
printf("Enter your guess: ");
scanf("%d",&guess);
if (guess > number) {
printf("Too High\n"); }
if (guess < number) {
printf("Too Low\n"); }
} while (guess != number);
p r i n t f ("You win. The answer %d", n u m b e r );
return 0; }

• Note: The function rand() in stdlib.h can be used here instead, it returns
a random integer from 0 to RAND_MAX (defined in .h file usually 32767 or
2147483647)
• Can you think of more ideas? Print range? Levels? Points? Sounds? etc
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Random character(s) example:

int random=32+(127-33)*((float)rand()/RAND_MAX);
printf("%c", random);

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Time example (delay):

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <time.h>
int main()
{
int doit=0; long lasttime;
//tick for 20 seconds, once every second:
while(doit++<20)
{
printf("%d", RAND_MAX);
system("clear");
lasttime=time(NULL);
//Seconds since January 1, 1970:
printf("%d\n", time(NULL));
//inf loop until a new second starts
while(lasttime==time(NULL));
}
return 0;
}
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Introduction to computer
Engineering
Yacoub Sabatin
Tue 17-12-2024
Will start in a few moments..

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Example 4: Develop a C code to compute the number of

digits in an nonnegative integer?
Reasoning: To calculate a nonnegative number of digits:
Repeat  number /=10;
digits++
while number > 0
Algorithm:
1. Start
2. Digits = 0;
3. Read Number;
4. Do { Number /=10;
Digits++
} while (number > 0)
5. Output Digits;
6. End.
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#include <stdio.h>
int main()
{
int digits=0; int number;
printf(“Enter a nonnegative integer.\n");
scanf(“%d”, &number);

do
{
number /= 10;
digits++;

} while (number>0);

printf(“The number of digits in %d is %d.", number,

digits);
return 0;
}
* What is the output? Do you notice any problem? How can
we solve that?

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Using do-while for input validation

//Input+Validation
do
{
printf("Please enter the 2 marks (both
should be 0-100): ");
scanf("%f", &mark1);
scanf("%f", &mark2);
} while(mark1>100 || mark1<0 || mark2>100 ||
mark2<0);

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For loop
• for loop can execute a block of code for a fixed number of
repetitions.
• Best choice for loops that:
– count up (increment); OR,
– count down (decrement)
• for loop syntax is as follows:
for (initializations; test conditions;
operation)
{
block of code
} for (expression1; expression2;
expression3)
{
Statement
} 28

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Establish initial
value of control
variable
Prints the integers from one to ten
counter
counter= =1 1

true
counter <= 10 printf( "%d\n", counter ); counter++
Increment
the control
Determine if final false Body of loop variable
value of control (this may be many
variable has been statements)
reached
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initialization;
while ( loopContinuationTest / expression2 ) {
statement;
increment;
}
int counter = 1;
while (counter <= 10 ) {
printf( "%d\n", counter );
counter++;
} // prints 1 to 10!
for(int counter = 1; counter <= 10; counter++)
printf( "%d\n", counter );

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Examples 1:
• Counting up from 0 to n-1:
for (count = 0; count < n; count++){
printf("%d\n",count); }
• Counting up from 1 to n:
for (count = 1; count <= n; count++){
printf("%d\n",count); }
• Counting down from n-1 to 0:
for(count = n-1; count >= 0; count--
){ printf("%d\n",count); }
• Counting down from n to 1:
for (count = n; count > 0; count--)
printf("%d\n",count);
• Note: not need for curly brackets in
31 1-line loop body.

Examples 2:
• A for loop that counts from 10 to 20:
for (count = 10; count <= 20; count++)
{
printf("%d\n", count);
}
• A loop that counts until a user response
terminates the loop:
for (count = 1; response != 'N'; count++)
{
printf("%d\n",count);
printf("Continue (Y/N): \n");
scanf("%c",&response);
}

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• More complicated test conditions are also

allowed!
• Suppose the user of the last example never
enters "N", but the loop should terminate when
100 is reached, regardless:

for (count = 1; (response != 'N')

&& (count <= 100); count++)
{
printf("%d\n",count);
printf("Continue (Y/N): \n");
scanf("%c",&response);
}

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• It is also possible to have multiple initializations &

multiple actions (comma operator)
• Example: This loop starts one counter at 0 and another
at 100, & finds a midpoint between them.

for (i = 0, j = 100; j != i; i++,

j--)
{
p r i nt f ( " i = % d , j = % d \ n ", i ,
j);
}
p r i n tf ( " i = % d , j = % d \ n " , i , j ) ;

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• Initializations are optional.

– Suppose we need to count from a user specified
number to 100. The first semicolon is still
required as a place keeper:
p r i n t f ( " En t e r a n u m b e r t o s t a r t t h e
count: ");
scanf("%d",&count );
for ( ; count < 100 ; count++)
{ printf("%d\ n",count ); }
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• The actions are also optional.

Here is a silly example that will repeatedly echo a
single number until a user terminates the loop;
for (number = 5; response != 'Y ‘ ;)
{
printf("%d\n",number);
printf("Had Enough (Y/N) \n");
scanf("% c",&response );
}

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Summarizing last 2 slides:

• All three expressions
(initializations; test conditions; operations)
in for loops are optional BUT not the semicolons;
• If initializations is absent, then NO initialization takes
place before loop is executed:
i = 10;
for (; i > 0; --i)
printf(“ T minus %d and counting \ n”, i)
• If actions is absent, then either the Loop Body or test
conditions will have to increment or decrement the
counter
for (i = 10; i > 0;)
printf(“T minus %d and counting\n”, i--)
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• If test conditions is absent, we assume a default value of 1

(true), which causes an infinite loop
for (;;) /* establishes an infinite loop */
• To break from infinite loop we use Ctrl Y/Break, etc.
• If initializations & actions are absent, the resulting loop is
a while loop!

for (; i > 10;)

printf(“T minus %d and counting\n”, i--)
Is same as
while ( i > 10)
printf(“T minus %d and counting \ n”, i--)
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Implement in 3 separate codes a count down from 10 to 1

using while, do, and for loops:
• int i = 10;
while (i > 0)
{ printf("%d\n",i);
i = i - 1; }
• int i = 10;
do
{ printf("%d\n",i);
i = i - 1;
} while (i > 0);
• for (int i = 10; i > 0; i--)
{
printf("%d\n",i);
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}

Example:
/* Summation of even numbers with the for loop */
int sum = 0; /* initialize sum */
int number; /* number to be added to sum */
for (number = 2; number <= 100; number += 2)
{
sum += number; /* add number to sum */
} /* end for */
printf( "Sum = %d.\n", sum ); /* output sum */

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• Example:
FC Barcelona met Real Madrid FC 30 times, write a concise
and interactive C program that asks the user for the score of
each team in each of the 30 matches, calculates and prints the
points of each team, assuming 0 point for the loser, 1 point for
tie, and 2 points for the winner.
• Reasoning:
– Will use 2 variables to store scores and 2 variables to store
points
– Will use for loop structure to get the results of the 30
matches
– Will check the result of each match to determine how many
points would be added to each team.
• Code: Next slide:
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#include <stdio.h>
void main()
{
int fcb_score, rmfc_score, fcb_points=0, rmfc_points=0;
for (int i=1; i <= 30; i++)
{
printf(“Please enter the score of FCB in match number: %d”, i);
scanf(“%d”, &fcb_score);
printf(“Please enter the score of RM FC in match number: %d”, i);
scanf(“%d”, &rmfc_score);
if (rmfc_score == fcb_score)
{
rmfc_points++;
fcb_points++;
}
else if (rmfc_score > fcb_score) //rmfc is the winner
rmfc_points = rmfc_points + 2;
else //fcb is the winner
fcb_points = fcb_points + 2;
} //end of ‘for’

printf("FCB points are %d, and RM FC points are %d.",

fcb_points, rmfc_points );
} 42

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The Comma Operator

• Comma operator, written as a comma (,) combines
several expressions into a single statement
• It evaluates its leftmost expression and discards
the value, and returns the value of the rightmost
expression:

 7 + 3, 6 * 2; /* Returns 12 */
 3,14; /* Gives 14 (the rightmost expn and not 3.14) */
 a = 0, b = 3, a += b, b = 0;
/* sets a to 3, b to 0 and returns 0 */

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• It is commonly used in for loops

Example:
Count from 1 to n using one variable, and
simultaneously from n to 1 using another
variable
for (i = 1, j = n; i <= n; i++, j--) {……}

• The comma operator has the lowest precedence

of any operator, binary, infix & left associative
operator (LtR).

• The comma operator is seldom necessary,

except in function-like preprocessor macros
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Examples:
• Suppose i=1, j=5; when the expression ++i,i+j is
evaluated, i is first incremented, then i+j is evaluated,
the value of expression is 7 (and i is 2 now).
• We can write:
sum=0;
for (i=1 ; i<=N ; i++)
sum += i;
As:
for (sum=0, i=1 ; i<=N ; i++)
sum += i;
Or even:
for (sum=0, i=1 ; i<=N ; sum += i, i++);
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Exiting from a loop

There are number of ways to exit from a loop:
• The break Statement:
– break statement can be used with switch or
any of the 3 looping structures;
– It causes an immediate exit from the switch,
while, do-while, or for statement in which
it appears;
– If the break is inside nested structures, control
exits only the innermost structure containing it.
– Program execution continues with the first
statement after the structure.

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– Common uses of the break statement

• Escape early from a loop;
• Skip the remainder of a switch statement;
• Avoid unnecessary execution of statements.

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Example: Check whether Number is a prime: Use for loop that divides
Number by numbers (nums) between 2 and Number-1!

for (nums = 2; nums < Number; nums++)

if (Number % nums == 0) break;

/* if we exited the loop somewhere during iterations, this

means that nums is still < Number */
if (nums < Number)
printf(“%d is divisible by %d\n”, Number, nums);

else /* nums=Numer i.e. we reached the end of the loop */

printf(“%d is prime\n”, Number);

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•Continue Statement:
–Is valid only within loops;
–Terminates the current loop iteration, but not
the entire loop;
–In a for or while, continue causes the rest
of the body statement to be skipped.
–In a for statement, the update is done;
–In a do-while, the exit condition is tested, and
if true, the next loop iteration is begun.

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Example:
for (x = 10; x > 0; x = x - 1)
{
if(x > 5) continue;
printf("x = %d\n",x);
// will print only numbers NOT > 5
} // Check!!

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• The goto Statement:

– Capable of jumping to any statement in a function;
– Used as: goto identifier;
– Identifier is a label at the beginning of a statement or
number of statements.
– NOT RECOMMENDED “spaghetti code”.
– Example:
for (nums = 2; nums < Number; nums++)
if (Number % nums == 0) goto done;
done:
if (nums < Number)
printf(“%d is divisible by %d\n”, Number,
nums);
else
printf(“%d is prime\n”, Number);
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• The same functionality using break to avoid “spaghetti

code”.
– Example:
for (nums = 2; nums < Number; nums++)
if (Number % nums == 0) break;

if (nums < Number)

printf(“%d is divisible by %d\n”, Number,
nums);
else
printf(“%d is prime\n”, Number);

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