Question

Write an if statement that assigns 0 to the variable b and assigns 1 to the variable \(c\) if the variable a is less than 10

Short answer

** Answer: If `a` is set to 7, the values of variables `b` and `c` will be 0 and 1 respectively.

Step-by-step solution

Set up the if statement

Begin by creating the if statement that checks if the variable `a` is less than 10 using the comparison operator '<'. The structure should look like this: `if a < 10:`.

Assign values to b and c

Inside the if statement block, assign 0 to the variable `b` and 1 to the variable `c` using the assignment operator '='. For example, `b = 0` and `c = 1`.

Test the if statement

To test the if statement, set a value for the variable `a`, run the if statement and print the values of `b` and `c` after the if statement has run. Make sure to test with both, a value less than 10 and a value greater than or equal to 10. Here's the full code example: ``` a = 7 # Set the value of a if a < 10: b = 0 c = 1 print("b:", b) print("c:", c) ``` Remember to test the if statement with different values for the variable `a`.

Key concepts

Conditional Statements

Conditional statements are fundamental elements of any programming language, and Java is no exception. They enable a program to make decisions and execute certain actions based on whether a particular condition is true or false. An if statement is a primary example of a conditional statement.

Consider it as a fork in the road for your program: If the condition evaluates to true, one path is taken; if not, the program can either take an alternative path with an 'else' block or simply continue on its original path without taking any new action. The syntax begins with the keyword 'if', followed by the condition in parentheses, and a block of code in curly braces that executes if the condition is true, like so:
if (condition) {
  // code to be executed
}
Within the provided exercise, the if statement checks whether the variable a is less than 10, and if this is true, it assigns 0 to variable b and 1 to variable c.

Java Programming

Java is an object-oriented, class-based programming language built to have as few implementation dependencies as possible. Its syntax might appear strict at first, but this rigor is beneficial in creating consistent and comprehensible code. Java is designed to let application developers 'write once, run anywhere' (WORA), meaning that compiled Java code can run on all platforms that support Java without the need for recompilation.

As for conditional statements in Java, they follow the same principles as in most programming languages. However, it's important to use Java syntax properly. An if statement in Java specifically looks like this:
if (a < 10) {
  b = 0;
  c = 1;
}
Notice the use of parentheses for conditions and curly braces for code blocks. Java also requires a semicolon at the end of each statement, which you can see after the variable assignments for b and c.

Control Structures

Control structures form the skeleton of a program, directing the flow of execution based on variable values and logical operations. They can be classified into three primary categories: sequence structures, decision structures (like if-else statements), and loop structures.

Sequence structures run code from top to bottom in the order written. Decision structures, however, introduce the crucial facilities for decision-making; they evaluate boolean expressions and determine which code block is executed. Loop structures keep running a block of code as long as a certain condition remains true.

In the context of the exercise, the if statement is a type of decision structure, deciding whether to assign values to b and c based on the outcome of