← Years 7–8 Creating Digital Solutions

Drawing a decision inside a loop in a flowchart

A diamond on the loop path is asked on every pass. Both its Yes and No branches rejoin, then go back to the loop test, usually after the counter update.

Part of: 7-8 Digital Technologies: Designing and tracing algorithms — Module 30, IGCSE Computer Science 0478 — 7c Pseudocode and Flowcharts — Module 58, ACARA Digital Technologies Years 9–10 — Algorithms with Logical Operators — Module 39, WA Computer Science ATAR Year 11 — Pseudocode and Algorithm Design — Module 48

Understanding Drawing a decision inside a loop in a flowchart in Years 7–8 Creating Digital Solutions

What it does: Both paths meet at the same join point. From there one path goes to the counter update and back to the loop test. The diamond n > 3? sits inside the loop path. Each time the arrow returns to i <= 5?, the flow reaches the diamond again. Both branches must rejoin, or the loop would stop working on some passes. Even an empty No branch needs an arrow that rejoins the path. Put i <- i + 1 after the branches rejoin so it runs on every pass, whichever way the decision went.

Common mistakes: The No branch of the decision must not end the loop. Both Yes and No rejoin, then go to the counter update and back to the loop test. The line should end with No: skip, or show No rejoining. The counter update must happen after both branches rejoin. If only the Yes path adds 1 to i, the No path never changes i, so the loop never ends. It should say Yes and No: i <- i + 1.

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Learning

Duo

A decision diamond sits inside a loop in a flowchart. How often is it asked?

Every time the loop goes around (every pass)Only once, on the first pass

Matches

n > 5? No -> Stop (Yes -> count <- count + 1 -> i <- i + 1 -> i <= 10?)

↓

The No branch goes to Stop instead of rejoining. The loop would end the first time the answer is No. It should rejoin and go back to the loop test.

Applying

Meanings

Term

decision inside a loop

Meaning

A diamond on the loop path is asked on every pass. Both its Yes and No branches rejoin, then go back to the loop test, usually after the counter update.

Practice

START

Testing

Gaps

A decision in a loop is drawn as a

Check Answer

Spots

2Loop test: i <= 5? No: End

3Is i > 3? Yes: add i, No: End

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Quick Questions

1. A decision diamond sits inside a loop in a flowchart. How often is it asked?

A. Every time the loop goes around (every pass) ✓

B. Only once, on the first pass

The diamond is on the loop path, so the question is asked again on every pass.

2. Which describes what happens to the Yes and No branches of a decision inside a loop?

A. Only the Yes branch goes back to the loop test; the No branch ends the flowchart

B. Both branches rejoin and lead back to the loop test ✓

Both branches must rejoin, or the loop would stop working on some passes.

3. A flowchart loop counts from 1 to 10 and checks if each number is even. Where does the 'is it even?' diamond go?

A. Outside the loop, after the loop has finished

B. Inside the loop, after the loop test and before the arrow back ✓

To check every number, the diamond has to be on the loop path so it is asked each pass.

4. Where should the counter update (like i ← i + 1) go so that it happens on every pass?

A. After the branches rejoin, just before returning to the loop test ✓

B. Only on the Yes branch of the decision

If the update is only on one branch, the other branch never changes the counter and the loop can run forever.

5. In a loop with a decision, the No branch does nothing. What should its arrow do?

A. Join the Yes branch's path so both continue to the counter update ✓

B. Stop with no arrow, because nothing happens on No

Even an empty No branch needs an arrow that rejoins the path.

Match the Pairs

score >= 50? → A decision diamond inside the loop that is asked on every pass

i <- i + 1, then arrow to i <= 10? → The counter update, then back to the loop test

Both the Yes and No branches rejoin before the loop test → Yes: count <- count + 1 -> join. No: join. Then i <- i + 1 -> i <= 10?

The decision is asked again on every pass of the loop → i <= 5? Yes -> n > 3? -> ... -> i <- i + 1 -> back to i <= 5?

n > 5? No -> Stop (Yes -> count <- count + 1 -> i <- i + 1 -> i <= 10?) → The No branch goes to Stop instead of rejoining. The loop would end the first time the answer is No. It should rejoin and go back to the loop test.

n > 5? Yes -> count <- count + 1 -> i <- i + 1. No -> i <= 10? → The counter update is only on the Yes branch. When the answer is No, i never changes, so the loop may never end. Rejoin the branches first, then update i.

Key Term

decision inside a loop

A diamond on the loop path is asked on every pass. Both its Yes and No branches rejoin, then go back to the loop test, usually after the counter update.

Fill in the Blanks

1. A decision in a loop is drawn as a diamond

Hint: Type the name of the flowchart shape used for a decision.

2. Is score > 10? Yes -> count <- count + 1 No -> go to counter update

Hint: Type the label on the other branch leaving the diamond.

3. Both branches go back to the loop test

Hint: Type the part of the loop that both branches return to.

4. Counter update: i <- i + 1

Hint: Type the operator that makes the counter go up.

5. The diamond is asked every pass

Hint: Type the word that shows how often the question is asked in the loop.

Spot the Error

Question 1

A Set total <- 0, i <- 1

B Loop test: i <= 5? No: End

C Is i > 3? Yes: add i, No: End

D Yes and No: i <- i + 1

E Go back to loop test

Line C — The No branch of the decision must not end the loop. Both Yes and No rejoin, then go to the counter update and back to the loop test. The line should end with No: skip, or show No rejoining.

Question 2

A Set count <- 0, i <- 1

B Loop test: i <= 10? No: End

C Is i even? Yes: count + 1

D Only Yes: i <- i + 1

E Go back to loop test

Line D — The counter update must happen after both branches rejoin. If only the Yes path adds 1 to i, the No path never changes i, so the loop never ends. It should say Yes and No: i <- i + 1.

Question 3

A Set i <- 1, big <- 0

B Loop test: i <= 8? Yes: End

C Is i > 5? Yes: big <- big + 1

D Yes and No: i <- i + 1

E Go back to loop test

Line B — The loop test branches are swapped. While i <= 8 is true (Yes) the flowchart should carry on to the decision. Only No should lead to End.

Question 4

A Start: set score <- 0

B Loop test: i <= 6? No: End

C Is i odd? Yes: score+1

D Yes and No: i <- i + 1

E Go back to loop test

Line A — The counter i is never given a starting value. The loop test and the update both use i, so it must be set to 1 before the loop. The line should be Start: set score <- 0, i <- 1.

Question 5

A Set n <- 0, i <- 1

B Loop test: i <= 7? No: End

C Is i < 4? Yes: n+1

D Yes and No: i <- i + 1

E Go back to loop test

Line C — A decision diamond needs both a Yes and a No exit. The No branch is missing, so the flowchart does not say where to go when i < 4 is false. It should add No: skip, which rejoins the path.

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