← ACARA Digital Technologies Years 5–6

Drawing a decision in a flowchart

A diamond shape in a flowchart that asks a yes or no question. One arrow is labelled Yes and one is labelled No, and each arrow leads to different steps.

Part of: ACARA Digital Technologies Years 5–6 — Algorithms with Branching and Repetition — Module 28, ACARA Digital Technologies Years 7–8 — Algorithms, Flowcharts and Pseudocode — Module 28, ACARA Digital Technologies Years 7–8 — Tracing and Debugging Algorithms — Module 33, QCE Digital Solutions Unit 1 — Algorithms and Programming Techniques — Module 7, QCE Digital Solutions Unit 3 — Interactions Between Users, Data and Digital Systems — Module 20

Understanding Drawing a decision in a flowchart in ACARA Digital Technologies Years 5–6

What it does: The diamond has both a Yes arrow and a No arrow, each leading to a different step. The second diamond sits on the No arrow of the first, which gives three paths from two yes/no questions. A decision is drawn as a diamond. Rectangles are for ordinary steps. Two paths can join again. Both arrows point to the same next step, such as 'Pack your bag'. Each diamond has only Yes and No arrows. For more than two paths, put another diamond after one answer. A diamond question must have a Yes or No answer. 'What colour?' has many possible answers.

Common mistakes: Both arrows from the diamond are labelled Yes. One arrow must be Yes and the other No, so line 4 should start with No ->. The arrow leaving the diamond has no label. Every arrow from a decision diamond must say Yes or No, so line 3 should start with Yes ->.

Class: _____________________  ·  Name: _____________________  ·  Date: _________

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This module's key terms are also in a printable crossword (Modules 120–132) and word search (Modules 106–132).

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Learning
Duo
Which shape do you draw for a question that has a Yes or No answer?
A diamondA rectangle
Matches
[ Is it Friday? ] → Play games (only one arrow, no labels)
↓
The diamond has only one arrow and no Yes or No labels. It needs a Yes arrow and a No arrow leading to different steps.
Applying
Meanings
Term
decision diamond
Meaning
A diamond shape in a flowchart that asks a yes or no question. One arrow is labelled Yes and one is labelled No, and each arrow leads to different steps.
Practice
[Start]
Testing
Gaps
[] Is it raining?
Check Answer
Spots
3Yes -> Box: Take umbrella
4Yes -> Box: Wear a cap

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Quick Questions

1. Which shape do you draw for a question that has a Yes or No answer?
A. A diamond ✓
B. A rectangle
A decision is drawn as a diamond. Rectangles are for ordinary steps.
2. How many arrows should leave a decision diamond that asks one yes or no question?
A. One arrow with no label
B. Two arrows: one Yes and one No ✓
A decision diamond needs a Yes arrow and a No arrow so the flowchart can go two different ways.
3. Which text belongs inside the diamond?
A. Is it raining? ✓
B. Take an umbrella
The diamond holds a question. The action 'Take an umbrella' goes in a step box after the Yes arrow.
4. A diamond asks 'Is the score more than 10?'. What do the two arrows lead to?
A. Different steps ✓
B. The exact same step
If both arrows led to the same step, the question would not change anything. Each arrow leads to different steps.
5. After the Yes path and the No path finish their own steps, they can...
A. Never meet again
B. Join again at the next shared step ✓
Two paths can join again. Both arrows point to the same next step, such as 'Pack your bag'.

Match the Pairs

[ Is it raining? ] Yes → Take umbrella, No → Wear a cap → A decision diamond asks a yes or no question and sends the flow along the Yes arrow or the No arrow to different steps.
Yes path → Add jam, No path → Add cheese, then both → Eat sandwich → Two paths split at a diamond and then join again at the next step, so both paths end up at the same place.
Every decision diamond needs two arrows leaving it, one labelled Yes and one labelled No. → [ Is score > 10? ] Yes → Say 'Great job!' / No → Say 'Try again!'
To choose between more than two paths, put another decision diamond on the No arrow of the first one. → [ Is it hot? ] Yes → Wear shorts / No → [ Is it cold? ] Yes → Wear jumper / No → Wear jeans
[ Is it Friday? ] → Play games (only one arrow, no labels) → The diamond has only one arrow and no Yes or No labels. It needs a Yes arrow and a No arrow leading to different steps.
[ What is your favourite colour? ] Yes → Paint it, No → Skip it → The question in the diamond cannot be answered with Yes or No. It should be a yes or no question like 'Is your favourite colour blue?'

Key Term

decision diamond
A diamond shape in a flowchart that asks a yes or no question. One arrow is labelled Yes and one is labelled No, and each arrow leads to different steps.

Fill in the Blanks

1. [diamond] Is it raining? Yes -> Take an umbrella No -> Wear a sunhat
Hint: Type the name of the flowchart shape used to ask a yes or no question.
2. [diamond] Is it raining? Yes -> Take an umbrella No -> Wear a sunhat
Hint: Type the label on the arrow that is followed when the answer to the question is true.
3. [diamond] Is the light green? Yes -> Go No -> Stop
Hint: Type the label for the other arrow, followed when the answer is not true.
4. [diamond] Is it cold? Yes -> Put on a coat No -> Skip the coat Both arrows join at: Go outside
Hint: Type the word for what the two paths do when they meet again at the same step.
5. [diamond] Is the score 90 or more? Yes -> Award gold No -> [diamond] Is the score 50 or more?
Hint: Type the arrow symbol that leads from the No label to a second diamond, giving a third path.

Spot the Error

Question 1
A Oval: START
B Diamond: Is it raining?
C Yes -> Box: Take umbrella
D Yes -> Box: Wear a cap
E Box: Walk to school
Line D — Both arrows from the diamond are labelled Yes. One arrow must be Yes and the other No, so line 4 should start with No ->.
Question 2
A Oval: START
B Diamond: Is score over 50?
C -> Box: Print Pass
D No -> Box: Print Try again
E Oval: END
Line C — The arrow leaving the diamond has no label. Every arrow from a decision diamond must say Yes or No, so line 3 should start with Yes ->.
Question 3
A Diamond: Is it dark?
B Yes -> Box: Turn on light
C No -> Box: Open curtains
D Yes path -> Box: Read book
E Oval: END
Line D — Only the Yes path reaches Read book, so the No path never joins back in. Both paths should join again at the next step, so line 4 should say Both paths.
Question 4
A Oval: START
B Diamond: How many doors?
C Yes -> Box: Walk inside
D No -> Box: Knock on door
Line B — A decision diamond must ask a question with a Yes or No answer. 'How many doors?' needs a number. It should be a yes/no question like 'Is the door open?'.
Question 5
A Oval: START
B Diamond: Is the cup empty?
C Maybe -> Box: Fill the cup
D No -> Box: Drink water
Line C — A decision diamond only has Yes and No arrows. 'Maybe' is not allowed, so line 3 should start with Yes ->.

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