Question

What is a control structure?

Short answer

Answer: A control structure is a block of code that enables the flow of a program's execution, making it more efficient, organized, and easier to read. The three basic types of control structures are sequential, selection, and iteration control structures. Sequential control structure is the default flow of control, executing instructions in sequence. Selection control structure allows the program to make decisions based on conditions using "if", "else", and "elif" statements. Iteration control structure involves looping through a block of code multiple times using "while" and "for" loops.

Step-by-step solution

Definition of Control Structure

A control structure is a block of code that enables the flow of a program's execution, allowing it to be more efficient, organized, and easier to read. Control structures give programmers the flexibility to control the flow of their code, making decisions, executing repetitive tasks, or defining the scope of specific parts of a program.

Types of Control Structures:

There are three basic types of control structures that you'll encounter in most programming languages: sequential, selection, and iteration control structures. 1. Sequential Control Structure: This is the default flow of control in any program. The program's instructions are executed in sequence, from the first statement to the last. Example: ```python print("Hello, World!") print("Welcome to programming.") ``` 2. Selection Control Structure: This involves making decisions based on conditions, using "if", "else" and "elif" (else-if) statements. Selection control structures execute a block of code if a certain condition is true or false, thus allowing the program to make decisions. Example: ```python age = 18 if age >= 18: print("You are an adult.") else: print("You are a minor.") ``` 3. Iteration Control Structure: This refers to looping through a block of code multiple times until a condition is met, or until a specified number of iterations are completed. Iteration control structures include "while" loops and "for" loops. Example: ```python for i in range(5): print("Iteration:",i) ``` Becoming familiar with these control structures and understanding how they work is essential for learning to write efficient and well-organized programs.