Last updated: Monday 8th March 2010, 12:12 PT, AD
Pseudocode
Pseudocode (pronounced SOO-doh-kohd) is a detailed yet readable description of what a
computer program or algorithm
must do, expressed in a formally-styled natural language rather than in a
programming language. Pseudocode is sometimes used as
a detailed step in the process of developing a program. It allows designers or
lead programmers to express the design in great detail and provides programmers
a detailed template (blue print) for the next step of writing code in a
specific programming language.
Because
pseudocode is detailed yet readable, it can be
inspected by the team of designers and programmers as a way to ensure that
actual programming is likely to match design specifications. Catching errors at
the pseudocode stage is less costly than catching
them later in the development process. Once the pseudocode
is accepted, it is rewritten using the vocabulary and syntax of a programming language. Pseudocode is sometimes
used in conjunction with
FYI: There are programs that will convert a given pseudocode language into a given programming language.
Example Algorithm its respective Pseudocode:
Problem: To find the average of 3 numbers
Algorithm:
1. Instruct the
user to enter the first number
2. Input the
first number
3. Add the number
to a running total
4. Instruct the
user to enter the second number
5. Input the
second number
6. Add the
second number to the running total
7. Instruct the
user to enter the third number
8. Input the
third number
9. Add the third
number to the running total
10. Divide the
total by 3
11. Print out the
result
Pseudocode:
total = 0
Display "Enter
number 1"
Input number1
total = total + number1
Display "Enter
number 2"
Input number2
total = total + number2
Display "Enter
number 3"
Input number3
total = total + number3
average = total / 3
Display average
Note: there are no firm rules on the words you choose to
represent input, output and processing. For instance, you may use the word write instead of the
word Display, or read instead of Input. Just be consistent.
For more examples of pseudocode, check
out this pseudocode guide.
Program written in the Python 2 language:
total = 0.0
number1=float(raw_input("Enter the first number: "))total = total + number1
number2=float(raw_input("Enter the second number: "))total = total + number2
number3=float(raw_input("Enter the third number: "))total = total + number3
average = total / 3
print "The average is " + str(average)
Program
written in the Python 3 language:
total = 0.0
number1=float(input("Enter the first number: "))total = total + number1
number2=float(input("Enter the second number: "))total = total + number2
number3=float(input("Enter the third number: "))total = total + number3
average = total / 3
print ("The average is " + str(average))