ICT 1101

PROGRAM LOGIC FORMULATION

Topic 2 : Problem Solving Organization
Lecturer : Koo Lee Chun (Ext. 305)
 Learning Outcome
Successful students should be able to:
• List and describe the basic tools used to aid in the development of
a solution to a problem :
• Problem Analysis Chart (PAC)
• Structure Chart or Interactivity Chart
• IPO Chart
• Algorithms
• Flowcharts
• Describe the categories of documentations

Prepared by Koo Lee Chun

 How computer store data
• Data are stored internally in memory location according to variable
names
• These memory locations are temporary, as internal memory
is volatile.
• When a program is completed or the computer is turned off, the
content in the memory is destroyed.
• Data that needs to be retained or intended for future use should
be stored externally on a storage medium such as hard disk or
floppy disk in storage area called files

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 Communication with Computer
• Basically, for a computer to “understand” a message, it
requires instructions with specific rules.
• If the instructions that are provided is incorrect the computer may
give an error message, the wrong answer or may not respond at all.
• The main challenge in problem solving is to provide the most
efficient solution.
• When efficiency is important, only then should each solution be
examined and kept or discarded
• Two programmers may develop equally good solutions to a
problem, but the solutions may look entirely different.

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 Organizing the problem
• Some organization tools can be used to help us learn to solve
problem in computer. These included :

Problem Analysis • line the beginning of problem analysis

Chart (PAC)
Structure Chart or • shows the overall solution layout or
Interactivity Chart structure

• shows the input, processes and output of a

IPO Chart solution

• show the sequence of instructions

Algorithms comprising the solution

Flowcharts • graphic representations of the algorithms.

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 Problem Analysis Chart (PAC)
• Divide problem into four major parts.

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 PAC Example
Problem : Calculate the gross pay of an employee who worked based
on hourly rate. Formula to be used is GrossPay = Hours x Pay rate

The asterisk (**) in the Solution Alternatives column indicates that this
alternative will be chosen.

PAC helps to identify essential data and information, and disregards

the nonessential
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 Structure Chart or Interactive Chart
• Divide the processing into subtasks called modules and connect
them together to show interaction of processing between the
modules
• Each modules contain instructions to accomplish a specific task
such as entering data, printing the result, calculating result
• There will be one module (Control or Main module) that control
the flow to most of the modules
• The Control Module should be placed at the top-most of the chart,
while the subtasks are then located below it

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Structure Chart (Cont..)
Indicate that the modules are part
of a set of modules that are
processed many times

Indicate only one of the module will

be executed based on the decision

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Structure chart Example

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 IPO Chart
• IPO (Input-process-output) chart extends and organizes the
information in the problem analysis chart

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 Writing Algorithms
• After using the structure chart and the IPO chart, the next step is
develop sets of instruction for computer, called algorithm.
• The programmers writes a separate sets of instructions for each
module in the structure chart
• The algorithms pull the structure chart and IPO chart together to
give a logical step-by-step solution.

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 Algorithm Example

Note:
END – end the entire program
EXIT – exit point of the module

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 Flowchart
• Based on algorithms, the programmer produce flowchart, a
graphical representation of the algorithms.

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Flowchart (cont..)

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Example Flowchart

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Example Flowchart (cont..)

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 Documentation
• 2 basic types of documentation:
• Internal documentation :
• consists of remarks written with the instructions to
explain what is being done in the program.
• For programmer
• External :
• made up of the manuals or help menus written about
the solution.
• For user of the system

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 Review Learning Outcome
Successful students should be able to:
• List and describe the basic tools used to aid in the development of
a solution to a problem :
• Problem Analysis Chart (PAC)
• Structure Chart or Interactivity Chart
• IPO Chart
• Algorithms
• Flowcharts
• Describe the categories of documentations

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 Solve a problem

All marble balls have the same weight (3g) except one
(3.5g).

Can you help to identify this marble ball from others ?

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