The standard flowchart symbols

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Date:

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Quick Questions

Shade in the A or B circle for each question.

1. Which shape is used for START and END in a Cambridge flowchart?

A Decision (diamond)

B Terminator (rounded rectangle)

2. Which symbol should you draw for the statement Total ← Total + Mark?

A Process (rectangle)

B Input/output (parallelogram)

3. Which shape shows INPUT Age or OUTPUT Total?

A Parallelogram

B Rectangle

4. A question such as Score >= 50? with a Yes and a No exit goes in which symbol?

A Process (rectangle)

B Decision (diamond)

5. How do you draw a call to a subroutine in a flowchart?

A A rectangle with double vertical lines at the sides

B A plain rectangle

Match the Pairs

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

Left column		Right column
1Rounded rectangle (terminator) containing START		AInput must be drawn in a parallelogram, not a rectangle. The rectangle is the process symbol, so the wrong symbol has been used.
2Diamond containing Mark >= 50 ?		BMarks the start of the flowchart. A terminator is also used with END to mark where it finishes.
3A parallelogram is the input/output symbol, used when data goes in or comes out		CA decision symbol: it asks a question and has two exits labelled Yes and No (or True and False).
4A rectangle is the process symbol, used for a calculation or an assignment		DRectangle containing Total ← Total + Mark
5A rectangle containing the text INPUT Name		ESTART and END must be in a terminator, a rounded rectangle. A circle is not one of the six standard symbols, so it is not allowed.
6A circle containing the text START		FParallelogram containing INPUT Age

Definitions

flowchart symbols

Fill in the Blanks

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

Diamond shape = ________ symbol

Parallelogram = ____________ symbol

Rounded box for START and END = __________

Rectangle with double sides: __________

Rectangle for Total ← Total + 1: _______

Spot the Error

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

Question 1

A Terminator: START

B Input/output: INPUT Mark

C Process: Mark >= 50 ?

D Input/output: OUTPUT Pass

Question 2

A Terminator: START

B Process: Total <- 0

C Process: OUTPUT Total

D Terminator: END

Question 3

A Terminator: START

B Input/output: INPUT Name

C Process: CALL Greet(Name)

D Terminator: END

Question 4

A Decision: START

B Input/output: INPUT Num

C Process: Square <- Num * Num

D Input/output: OUTPUT Square

E Terminator: END

Question 5

A Terminator: START

B Input/output: INPUT Marks

C Subroutine: CALL Mean(Marks)

D Decision: OUTPUT Mean

E Terminator: END

Answer Key

The standard flowchart symbols

Section A: Quick Questions

B — Terminator (rounded rectangle)

A — Process (rectangle)

A — Parallelogram

B — Decision (diamond)

A — A rectangle with double vertical lines at the sides

Section B: Match the Pairs

Rounded rectangle (terminator) containing START → Marks the start of the flowchart. A terminator is also used with END to mark where it finishes.

Diamond containing Mark >= 50 ? → A decision symbol: it asks a question and has two exits labelled Yes and No (or True and False).

A parallelogram is the input/output symbol, used when data goes in or comes out → Parallelogram containing INPUT Age

A rectangle is the process symbol, used for a calculation or an assignment → Rectangle containing Total ← Total + Mark

A rectangle containing the text INPUT Name → Input must be drawn in a parallelogram, not a rectangle. The rectangle is the process symbol, so the wrong symbol has been used.

A circle containing the text START → START and END must be in a terminator, a rounded rectangle. A circle is not one of the six standard symbols, so it is not allowed.

Section C: Definitions

flowchart symbols — Cambridge 0478 flowcharts use only six standard shapes: terminator, process, input/output, decision, subroutine and flow line. Each shape must be drawn correctly and used for its own job.

Section D: Fill in the Blanks

Diamond shape = decision symbol

Parallelogram = input/output symbol

Rounded box for START and END = terminator

Rectangle with double sides: subroutine

Rectangle for Total ← Total + 1: process

Section E: Spot the Error

C — A yes/no question must be drawn in a decision symbol (a diamond), not a process box. The line should be 'Decision: Mark >= 50 ?'.

C — OUTPUT shows data to the user, so it goes in an input/output symbol (a parallelogram), not a process box. The line should be 'Input/output: OUTPUT Total'.

C — Calling a subroutine needs the subroutine symbol (a rectangle with double side bars). A plain process box is for ordinary calculations. The line should be 'Subroutine: CALL Greet(Name)'.

A — The start of a flowchart must use a terminator symbol (a rounded rectangle). A decision diamond is only for yes/no questions. The line should be 'Terminator: START'.

D — A decision symbol only holds a yes/no question with two exits. Showing a result needs an input/output symbol. The line should be 'Input/output: OUTPUT Mean'.