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O
se
U
tre
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C
h
ec
pt

Session 6 – Iteration
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Constructs
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Explain looping constructs

se
Describe the different types of loops

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Explain nested loops

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en
C
h
ec
pt
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Sometimes, a computer

se
program needs to perform

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some tasks repetitively

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en
To perform these tasks, the
C
h
iterative or looping construct
ec

is used
pt
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Consider that a programmer has to write a

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program that displays a name 1000 times.

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The programmer cannot type the DISPLAY

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statement 1000 times.
C
h
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In such kind of scenarios, the iteration construct

pt
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can be used.
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The example shows the pseudocode to add an

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iteration construct to the DISPLAY

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statement.

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Do loop 1000 times
C
DISPLAY “Mike”
End loop
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ec
pt
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Different types of loops supported by most

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programming languages are as follows:

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The WHILE Loop

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The DO…WHILE Loop

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The REPEAT…UNTIL Loop
The FOR Loop C
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pt
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The WHILE loop repeats a statement or a set of

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statements until a certain specified condition is

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met or is true.

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en
The general form of the WHILE loop is as follows:
C
h
WHILE condition
ec

DO
pt

statement set
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END DO
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The modified pseudocode for the earlier example
using the WHILE loop is as follows:

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BEGIN

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cnt=0

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WHILE (cnt < 1000)
DO C
h
DISPLAY “Mike”
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cnt=cnt+1
pt

END DO
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END
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The flowchart for the

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pseudocode is shown in

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the figure.

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en
C
h
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pt
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In C, the syntax for the WHILE loop is as

se
follows:

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tre
while(condition)

en
{
C
h
statement set
ec

}
pt
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 In C, the example would be written as follows:

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#include <stdio.h>

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void main()

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{
int cnt;

en
cnt=0;
while(cnt<1000) C
h
{
ec

printf(“Mike”);
pt

cnt++;
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}
}
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 The WHILE loop tests the condition before the body of

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the loop is executed.

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 Therefore, the body of the loop may not be executed at

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all if the condition is not satisfied in the first attempt.

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C
 On some occasions, it might be necessary to execute
h
ec

the body of the loop before the test is performed.

pt
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 Such situations can be handled with the help of the

DO…WHILE loop.
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The general form of the DO…WHILE loop is as

se
follows:

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tre
DO

en
Statements
C
h
WHILE condition
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pt
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Consider an example where the loop displays a

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message and accepts a number from the user.

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The loop continues doing this until the user enters the

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number 5 and then, exits the program.

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The pseudocode for this is as follows:
BEGIN C
h
DO
ec

DISPLAY “Enter a number [enter 5 to exit];”

pt

INPUT num
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WHILE (num <> 5)

END
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The flowchart for the example is shown in the

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figure.

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tre
en
C
h
ec
pt
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The FOR loop provides a more concise loop

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control structure.

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tre
The general form for a FOR loop is as follows:

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C
FOR counterVariable IN RANGE startValue
h
to endValue [STEP value]
ec

DO
pt

statement set
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END DO
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Consider the earlier example to display a

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name 1000 times.

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tre
BEGIN

en
FOR cnt IN RANGE 1 to 1000
DO C
h
ec

DISPLAY “Mike”
pt

END DO
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END
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The C syntax for the FOR loop along with its

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execution path is shown in the figure.

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tre
en
C
h
ec
pt
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The FOR loop construct for displaying the name

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Mike 1000 times in C language is shown in the

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example.

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en
…
C
for(cnt=0;cnt<1000;cnt++)
h
{
ec

printf(“Mike”);
pt

}
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…
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Nested loop:

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Is a loop within another loop.

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tre
Is used in almost all programming languages.

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C
Can have upto 15 levels in C language to be nested
h
within one another.
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pt

Can have varied levels of nesting for other

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programming languages.
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 An example of a nested WHILE loop where the program accepts five

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numbers from the user and displays them twice on the screen is

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shown.

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BEGIN
cnt = 1

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cnt2 = 1

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WHILE cnt < 6
INPUT num
cnt2 = 1
WHILE cnt2 < 3 C
h
DO
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PRINT num
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cnt2 = cnt2 + 1
END DO
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cnt = cnt + 1
END DO
Fo

END
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 The iterative or looping construct is used to repeat certain steps a

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specific number of times or till some specified condition is met.
 The different types of loops are the WHILE loop, the DO…WHILE

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loop, the REPEAT…UNTIL loop, and the FOR loop.

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 The WHILE loop repeats a statement or a set of statements while a

en
certain specified condition is True.
 The DO…WHILE loop executes the body of the loop before the
C
condition test is performed.
h
ec

 The REPEAT…UNTIL loop executes as long as the condition is

False.
pt

 The FOR loop provides a more concise loop control structure, which
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includes counter variables, range, and step value.

Fo

 A nested loop means a loop within another loop.