Question

Suppose that you have the following statements: string str1, str2; cin >> str1 >> str2; if (str1 == str2) cout << str1 + '!' << endl; else if (str1 > str2) cout << str1 + " > " + str2 << endl; else cout << str1 + " < " + str2 << endl; Answer the following questions: a. What is the output if the input is Programming Project? b. What is the output if the input is Summer Trip? c. What is the output if the input is Winter Cold?

Short answer

a: 'Programming < Project' b: 'Summer < Trip' c: 'Winter > Cold'

Step-by-step solution

Understand the Code

The code snippet compares two strings, `str1` and `str2`, input by the user. It checks if the strings are equal, or if `str1` is greater or less than `str2`, producing an output based on the result of the comparison.

Analyze Inputs - Question (a)

For input 'Programming Project': - The strings to compare are: `str1 = Programming`, `str2 = Project` - Since 'P' in ASCII (80) is equal for both but 'r' in `Programming` (114) is less than 'o' in `Project` (111), 'Programming' comes before 'Project'.

Determine Output - Question (a)

Given 'Programming' and 'Project', `str1 < str2`. The third condition is true: `cout << str1 + " < " + str2`, thus output is: 'Programming < Project'.

Analyze Inputs - Question (b)

For input 'Summer Trip': - The strings to compare are: `str1 = Summer`, `str2 = Trip` - The ASCII value of 'S' in `Summer` (83) is less than 'T' in `Trip` (84), so `Summer` is less than `Trip`.

Determine Output - Question (b)

Given 'Summer' and 'Trip', `str1 < str2`. The third condition is true: `cout << str1 + " < " + str2`, thus output is: 'Summer < Trip'.

Analyze Inputs - Question (c)

For input 'Winter Cold': - The strings to compare are: `str1 = Winter`, `str2 = Cold` - The ASCII value of 'W' in `Winter` (87) is greater than 'C' in `Cold` (67), so `Winter` is greater than `Cold`.

Determine Output - Question (c)

Given 'Winter' and 'Cold', `str1 > str2`. The second condition is true: `cout << str1 + " > " + str2`, thus output is: 'Winter > Cold'.

Key concepts

C++ programming

C++ is a powerful programming language commonly used in software development due to its performance and flexibility. In C++, variables like strings can be declared and manipulated easily. A string in C++ represents a sequence of characters. In the context of this exercise, C++ allows users to input and compare strings using various operations.

String comparison is one of the operations that checks if two strings are equal or which string would appear first in a dictionary-like order. This is crucial in many applications, such as sorting or searching.

• Declaration: In C++, strings can be declared using the `string` type from the Standard Template Library (STL).
• Usage: Once declared, strings can be used to perform a variety of operations like concatenation and comparison.

Understanding the basic setup of C++ is essential before diving into more specific operations such as conditional statements and input/output operations.

conditional statements

Conditional statements in C++ are used to execute a block of code based on specific conditions. They include `if`, `else if`, and `else` statements, which collectively form decision-making logic in programming. In the given exercise, conditional statements are used to determine the relationship between two input strings.

Here’s a quick breakdown:

• if statement: This checks a specific condition. If the condition evaluates to true, the block of code within the `if` statement is executed. In our example, it checks if the two strings, `str1` and `str2`, are equal.
• else if statement: This follows an `if` statement. It checks another condition if the previous `if` (or any preceding `else if`) was false. The condition here is whether `str1` is greater than `str2`.
• else statement: This is executed if all preceding conditions are false. In our scenario, this outputs when `str1` is less than `str2`.

Using these statements effectively allows programmers to control the flow of the program based on different inputs and situations.

input/output operations

Input/output operations are vital in C++ programming for interacting with users. They allow a program to receive input from the user and present output back. In our example, we utilize basic I/O operations to compare two strings inputted by the user.

Key components of input/output in C++:

• Input: `cin` is utilized to take input from the user. This is part of the standard input stream in C++. It reads data typed by the user and stores it in the specified variables, such as `str1` and `str2` in the exercise.
• Output: `cout` is used to display output to the user. This standard output stream in C++ helps convey information, such as comparison results in our example, back to the user. For instance, using `cout` prints whether `str1` is equal to, greater than, or less than `str2` based on their comparison.

Mastering basic I/O operations is essential for making interactive C++ programs that can communicate effectively with the user.