A variable that counts in a loop

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Quick Questions

Shade in the A or B circle for each question.

1. Where should SET count TO 0 go when you use a counter with a loop?

A Before the loop starts

B Inside the loop

2. Which line makes the counter go up by 1 each time the loop repeats?

A SET count TO 1

B ADD 1 TO count

3. Where should ADD 1 TO count go?

A After the loop

B Inside the loop

4. A loop runs 5 times. Each time it runs ADD 1 TO count. The counter started at 0. What does SHOW count display after the loop?

A 5

B 1

5. When is the best time to SHOW count if you want the total number of repeats?

A After the loop has finished

B Before the loop starts

Match the Pairs

Draw a line connecting each item on the left to its match on the right.

Left column		Right column
1SET count TO 0		ASET count TO 0 REPEAT 5 TIMES ADD 1 TO count SHOW count
2ADD 1 TO count		BSHOW count
3Show how many times the loop ran by displaying the counter after the loop has finished		CMakes the counter go up by one. It goes inside the loop so it grows each time the loop repeats.
4A counter starts at 0, then goes up by 1 each time the loop repeats, then the total is shown at the end		DMakes a counter that starts at zero. It goes before the loop so the count begins fresh.
5REPEAT 5 TIMES SET count TO 0 ADD 1 TO count SHOW count		ESET count TO 0 is inside the loop, so the counter resets to 0 on every repeat. It must go before the loop so the count can build up.
6SET count TO 0 REPEAT 5 TIMES SHOW count ADD 1 TO count		FADD 1 TO count is after the loop and SHOW count is inside it. The counter should go up inside the loop and be shown after the loop.

Definitions

SET count TO 0

Fill in the Blanks

Complete each line of code by filling in the missing parts.

SET count TO _ REPEAT 5 TIMES ADD 1 TO count

SET count TO 0 REPEAT 5 TIMES ___ 1 TO count

SET count TO 0 REPEAT 4 TIMES ADD _ TO count

SET count TO 0 REPEAT 6 TIMES: ADD 1 TO count ____ count

SET count TO 0 REPEAT 3 TIMES ADD 1 TO _____

Spot the Error

Shade in the letter of the line that contains an error.

Question 1

A SET count TO 1

B REPEAT 5 TIMES

C ADD 1 TO count

D SHOW count

Question 2

A SET count TO 0

B REPEAT 4 TIMES

C ADD 1 TO count

D SHOW total

Question 3

A SET claps TO 0

B REPEAT 8

C ADD 1 TO claps

D SHOW claps

Question 4

A SET laps TO 0

B REPEAT 5 TIMES

C ADD 0 TO laps

D SHOW laps

Question 5

A SET stars TO 0

B REPEAT UNTIL stars = 0

C ADD 1 TO stars

D SHOW stars

Answer Key

A variable that counts in a loop

Section A: Quick Questions

A — Before the loop starts

B — ADD 1 TO count

B — Inside the loop

A — 5

A — After the loop has finished

Section B: Match the Pairs

SET count TO 0 → Makes a counter that starts at zero. It goes before the loop so the count begins fresh.

ADD 1 TO count → Makes the counter go up by one. It goes inside the loop so it grows each time the loop repeats.

Show how many times the loop ran by displaying the counter after the loop has finished → SHOW count

A counter starts at 0, then goes up by 1 each time the loop repeats, then the total is shown at the end → SET count TO 0 REPEAT 5 TIMES ADD 1 TO count SHOW count

REPEAT 5 TIMES SET count TO 0 ADD 1 TO count SHOW count → SET count TO 0 is inside the loop, so the counter resets to 0 on every repeat. It must go before the loop so the count can build up.

SET count TO 0 REPEAT 5 TIMES SHOW count ADD 1 TO count → ADD 1 TO count is after the loop and SHOW count is inside it. The counter should go up inside the loop and be shown after the loop.

Section C: Definitions

SET count TO 0 — Makes a counter. Set count to 0 before the loop, ADD 1 TO count inside the loop each time it repeats, then SHOW count after the loop.

Section D: Fill in the Blanks

SET count TO 0
REPEAT 5 TIMES
  ADD 1 TO count

SET count TO 0
REPEAT 5 TIMES
  ADD 1 TO count

SET count TO 0
REPEAT 4 TIMES
  ADD 1 TO count

SET count TO 0
REPEAT 6 TIMES: ADD 1 TO count
SHOW count

SET count TO 0
REPEAT 3 TIMES
  ADD 1 TO count

Section E: Spot the Error

A — A counter must start at 0 before the loop. Starting at 1 makes the final count one too big. It should be SET count TO 0.

D — The counter is called count, but this line shows a variable called total that was never made. It should be SHOW count.

B — The loop line must say how many times to repeat. The word TIMES is missing. It should be REPEAT 8 TIMES.

C — Adding 0 never changes the counter, so it stays at 0. A counter goes up by 1 each time the loop repeats. It should be ADD 1 TO laps.

B — stars starts at 0, so the loop would stop straight away and never repeat. The loop should run until stars = 7.