INTRO TO COMPUTER PROGRAMMING (QBasic)

AJAYI, Olusola Olajide

Department of Computer Science,
Faculty of Science,
Adekunle Ajasin University,
Akungba-Akoko,
Ondo State, Nigeria.
olusola.ajayi@aaua.edu.ng / ajayiprogrammer@gmail.com
08113699553 / 07056433798 / 08137044500
COURSE CONTENTS
 Part 1: Introduction
 Programming
 Algorithm
 Pseudocode
 Part 2: The Art of Programming
 Part 3: Intro to QBasic
 Part 4: Making Statement in QBasic
 Part 5: Control Statements in QBasic
 Part 6: Array in QBasic
 Part 7: String Processing in QBasic
 Part 8: Functions and Subroutines in QBasic
 EXTRA/BONUS I: File in QBasic
 EXTRA/BONUS II: Graphics in QBasic
PROGRAMMING
 Programming is defined as an art of writing
codes.  
 It simply implies the ability of a programmer
to communicate with the computer system
in a particular programming language.
 It can also be seen as a way by which the
computer/programmer instructs the
computer system to carry out a particular
task.
 It is a transformational act that brings about
changes in the status of task – e.g. manual
task to computational one
TAXONOMY OF PROGRAMMING
 PROGRAMMER: This is a person that indulges or
that is an expert in writing computer codes. His
major responsible is to write programs that
performs a given or specified function.

 PROGRAM: This implies the written instruction

which the computer takes in and act upon.

 PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE: This indicates the

language of choice for which the programmer
communicates with the computer machine. In other
words, this points to the language with which he
codes.
LANGUAGES
 HIGH LEVEL LANGUAGE (HLL): This is a
language that is close to normal human English
Language. It isn’t a languages the computer
understands, rather it needs the help of an
interpreter or a compiler before computer could
understand it. Examples here includes QBasic
(Quick – Beginners’ All Purpose Symbolic and
Instruction Code), Fortran (FORmula TRANslator),
Pascal, Java, C, C++, Python, Ada, Eiffel etc.

 LOW LEVEL LANGAUGE (LLL): This language is

very much close to machine language. It needs
little translator to real machine language. It is
regarded as SYMBOLIC Language. A good and
common example is the ASSEMBLY Language.
LANGUAGES cont’d
 MACHINE LANGUAGE (ML): This is the very
language that the computer understands. It is
called the language of 0s and 1s.

For the purpose of this course, High Level

Language shall be the language of usage and
QBasic specifically the programming language of
choice.
The Structure of QBasic
QBasic is a procedural language.
Unlike object-oriented language,
it has no standard structure
according to programming style
rule. Howbeit, it does have
structure for programmers to
follow.
Guide to QBasic Structure
i. Line Number: Programs in QBasic
are easily written with line numbers
for readability purpose.

ii. CLS: This means CLear Screen

iii. REM: Implies REMark – Comment.

iv. END: To signify the end of a

program
Guide to QBasic Structure- Illustration
For example, the program below does
nothing but shows the guide to QBasic
Structure:

5 CLS
10 REM
15 END

OR
2 CLS
4 REM
6 END
GARBAGE IN & OUT IN QBASIC
To feed/supply data unto the computer
system using QBasic, we make use of any of
the following two commands:
i. INPUT statement
ii. READ&DATA statement

To fetch/retrieve stored or inputted data

from the computer system using QBasic, we
make use of PRINT statement.
OUTPUT STATEMENTS
These are statements that are used
for fetch/retrieve/show to screen,
inputted or stored data from the
computer system.

• The major/basic output statement

used in QBasic is called PRINT.
Others will be treated under FILE.
OUTPUT STATEMENTS – Usage & Format

PRINT can be used in two ways:

i. For outputting literals e.g. PRINT “I
am a programmer”

ii. For outputting variables (values of

an identifier) e.g.
PRINT radius
(where radius is a variable having a particular
value that has previously been inputted /captured /
stored)
OUTPUT STATEMENTS – Illustration I
5 CLS
10 REM
15 PRINT “I am a Programmer”
20 END

Press F5 to RUN

OR

Click on RUN and click on START

RUN well? Good! Save your work now!! Click on FILE, then
click on SAVE. Remove the highlighting and save accordingly.
Please ensure you preserve the .bas, it is the filename
extension for QBasic, just as .doc is to MS-Word.
OUTPUT STATEMENTS – Illustration I cont’d
See the output below:

RUN well? Good! Press any KEY to return to the Coding

Screen. Save your work now!! Click on FILE, then click on
SAVE. Remove the highlighting and save accordingly. Please
ensure you preserve the .bas, it is the filename extension for
QBasic, just as .doc is to MS-Word.
OUTPUT STATEMENTS – Illustration I cont’d

To save:
OUTPUT STATEMENTS – Illustration I cont’d
Filename Giving:

Use the Arrow Key to remove the highlighting. Thereafter,

use the left arrow key to move under the DOT, then use
backspace to delete UNTITLED and put in/type in your own
desired filename (e.g. programmer). See the next slide.
 OUTPUT STATEMENTS – Illustration I cont’d
This is what you should now have:

Click on OK or Press ENTER to complete the SAVE process.

 OUTPUT STATEMENTS – Illustration I cont’d
To start another/new program, click on FILE, then on NEW
 OUTPUT STATEMENTS – Illustration I cont’d
You can start a new/fresh program codes now!
OUTPUT STATEMENTS – Illustration II
5 CLS
10 REM
15 INPUT radius
20 PRINT radius
25 PRINT radius * 2
30 END

Press F5 to RUN

OR

Click on RUN and click on START.

OUTPUT STATEMENTS – Illustration II cont’d
You will first see something like this, prompting you to input/supply
value for radius.
OUTPUT STATEMENTS – Illustration II cont’d
…do the inputting now…and press the ENTER key.
OUTPUT STATEMENTS – Illustration II cont’d
…the system responds thus:

To go back to the coding screen, obey the

instruction: ‘Press any key….’
Class Exercise I
Code in QBasic to output the literals:

BIO-DATA Quiz
HE was born and brought up in Lagos.
He hails from Kwara.
He settles down in Ondo.

Who is He?
Solution I
5 CLS
10 REM
15 Print “BIO-DATA Quiz”
20 Print “_____________”
25 Print “He was born and brought up in Lagos.”
30 Print “He hails from Kwara.”
35 Print “He settles down in Ondo.”
40 Print
45 Print “Who is He?”
50 END
Solution I - Output
Class Exercise II

Given two variables: birthyear

and currentyear, input values
for the two variables and
compute your AGE by finding
the difference of the two
variables.
Solution II
5 CLS
10 REM
15 INPUT birthyear
20 INPUT currentyear
25 PRINT currentyear-birthyear
30 END
Solution II - Output
INPUT STATEMENTS
These are statements that are
used for feed/supply data unto
the computer system.

• Two Types:
• Input Method
• Read & Data Method
 INPUT STATEMENTS cont’d
INPUT Method
This is used where the program given is a closed problem
(e.g. values not specified).

e.g. INPUT A
OR
INPUT “Enter value for A: ”, A

Here the value of A is expected to be inputted.

INPUT STATEMENTS cont’d

Programming Example
Code in QBasic to solve:
(i) Z = x2 + w
y
(ii) F = b2
4ac
INPUT STATEMENTS – Illustration I
Solutions
5 CLS
10 REM
15 INPUT “Enter value for X: ”, x
20 INPUT “Enter value for W: ”, w
25 INPUT “Enter value for Y: ”, y
30 Let Z = ((x*x) + (w/y))
35 PRINT “The answer is: ”, Z
40 END
INPUT STATEMENTS – Illustration I - Output
INPUT STATEMENTS – Illustration II
Solutions
5 CLS
10 REM
15 INPUT “Enter value for A: ”, a
20 INPUT “Enter value for B: ”, b
25 INPUT “Enter value for C: ”, c
30 Let F = ((b^2) / (4*a*c))
35 PRINT “The answer is: ”, F
40 END
INPUT STATEMENTS – Illustration II - Output
INPUT STATEMENTS cont’d
READ Method
This is used where the program given is an open
problem (e.g. values specified).

e.g. READ A
DATA 7
OR
READ A, B, C
DATA 7, 15, 87

Here there is no need using INPUT to enter the value of

A because it is already given.
 INPUT STATEMENTS cont’d
Programming Example
Given:
t = 15, u = 210, s = 14, r = 11
Code in QBasic to compute:
i) V = t + (u – r)

(ii) W = u + s3
t2 t 2
INPUT STATEMENTS – Illustration I

Solutions
5 CLS
10 REM
15 READ t, u, r
20 DATA 15, 210, 11
30 Let V = (t + (u-r))
35 PRINT “The answer is: ”, V
40 END
INPUT STATEMENTS – Illustration I - Output
INPUT STATEMENTS – Illustration II

Solutions
5 CLS
10 REM
15 READ u, s, t
20 DATA 210, 14, 15
30 Let W = ((u/(t^2)) + ((s^2)/(t^2)))
35 PRINT “The answer is: ”; W
40 END
INPUT STATEMENTS – Illustration II - Output

Did you notice any different in the outputs (this slide page 42 – using
PRINT with Semicolon ; and the previous one, slide page 40 – using
PRINT with Comma ,?
HOME TAKE 1

Using QBasic, code to output:

ADEKUNLE AJASIN UNIVERSITY

AKUNGBA-AKOKO
ONDO STATE
NIGERIA

This is AAUA – we are proud of our school.

HOME TAKE 2

Solve:
(1) Write a QBasic program that
inputs your scores in ACC101,
ACC103 and ACC105. Computes:
i. Their Sums
ii. Their Average
HOME TAKE 3

Given:
Temp = 32 – f +w
5m

Code in QBasic to compute for Temp.

NEXT LECTURES

…ALGORITHM…

…PSEUDOCODE

…PART 2…