Question

Convert the following pseudocode to C++ code. Be sure to define the appropriate variables. Store 20 in the speed variable. Store 10 in the time variable. Multiply speed by time and store the result in the distance variable. Display the contents of the distance variable.

Short answer

Answer: The output of the given C++ code is "The distance is: 200".

Step-by-step solution

Declare Variables

Start by declaring the variables velocity, time, and distance as integers, using the following syntax: ```cpp int speed, time, distance; ```

Define Variables

Assign the given values to speed and time: ```cpp speed = 20; time = 10; ```

Calculate Distance

Multiply speed and time and store the result in the distance variable: ```cpp distance = speed * time; ```

Display Distance

To display the distance using "std::cout", first, include the "iostream" header at the beginning: ```cpp #include ``` Once you've done this, display the distance using "std::cout": ```cpp std::cout << "The distance is: " << distance << std::endl; ```

Complete C++ code

Here is the complete C++ code for the given exercise: ```cpp #include int main() { int speed, time, distance; speed = 20; time = 10; distance = speed * time; std::cout << "The distance is: " << distance << std::endl; return 0; } ```

Key concepts

Pseudocode Conversion

Converting pseudocode into C++ code involves understanding the logic and structure described in the pseudocode and translating it into the syntax that a computer can execute using C++. Pseudocode is a high-level description that uses natural language-like statements to define the steps of an algorithm. It is crucial because it provides a clear and simple outline of what the code should do, without worrying about the specifics of programming language syntax initially.
To convert pseudocode into actual C++ code, start by identifying each step and break it down into smaller tasks. Think about what each statement implies and how you would represent that action in C++. The conversion generally includes defining variables, performing operations, and handling input/output as per the instructions in the pseudocode.

Variable Declaration

A vital part of programming in C++ is declaring variables, which means defining the kind of data you want to store. Variables are placeholders for storing data, and each variable has a specific data type, such as integer, float, or string. The data type tells the computer how much memory to allocate for the variable and what type of data it will hold.
In the example exercise, the variables `speed`, `time`, and `distance` are declared as integers. This is done using the `int` keyword, which stands for integer. The declaration looks like this in C++:

• int speed, time, distance;

Declaring all relevant variables at the beginning ensures that your program knows what kind of data you will work with right from the start. Understanding how to properly declare variables is crucial for efficient and effective programming.

Input and Output

Input and output operations allow a program to receive data from the user and display results. In C++, input is generally received using `std::cin` and output is managed with `std::cout`, both of which are part of the iostream library. For this exercise, we focus on output, since no actual input is required.
Before any output operation, ensure that you've included the iostream header at the beginning of your C++ code:

• #include <iostream>

To display the computed distance, we use `std::cout`. This allows us to print text and variables to the console. Here’s what this looks like in C++:

• std::cout << "The distance is: " << distance << std::endl;

This command will output the string followed by the contents of the `distance` variable, formatting it neatly with a newline at the end.

Basic Arithmetic Operations

Arithmetic operations are foundational to programming and mathematical computation within any code. In our example, we needed to multiply two numbers to find their product. Generally, arithmetic operations include addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. C++ uses standard symbols for these operations: `+` for addition, `-` for subtraction, `*` for multiplication, and `/` for division.
In this exercise, we specifically use the multiplication operation. By multiplying the `speed` variable by the `time` variable, we calculate the `distance`. This is expressed as:

• distance = speed * time;

Understanding these basic mathematical operations is crucial for creating algorithms to solve more complex computational problems in C++. Always remember to ensure the operands (the variables being operated on) are of compatible data types to avoid errors.