Comparison Operators in Pseudocode
Name:
Date:
Class:
A
Quick Questions
Shade in the A or B circle for each question.
1. Which operator checks for equality in VCAA pseudocode?
2. Which operator means greater than or equal to in VCAA pseudocode?
3. Which comparison operator returns true only when the left value is strictly smaller than the right?
4. What does
if x != y then check in VCAA pseudocode?5. Which condition checks that a score is at least 50 in VCAA pseudocode?
B
Match the Pairs
Draw a line connecting each item on the left to its match on the right.
| Left column | Right column | |
|---|---|---|
| 1if score >= 50 then print "Pass" end if | AWrong — VCAA pseudocode uses a single = for equality, not ==. The correct form is `if score = 50 then` | |
| 2if x != y then print "Different" end if | BWrong — the operator => reverses the correct symbol. Greater than or equal to in VCAA pseudocode is written >= with the greater-than sign first | |
| 3The = operator checks for equality in VCAA pseudocode — a single equals sign, not double | Cif total = 0 then print "Empty" end if | |
| 4The <= and >= operators return true when the two values are equal as well as when one is strictly smaller or larger | DUses the != operator to check if x and y hold different values; the branch executes only when they are not equal | |
| 5if age => 18 then | Eif count <= 10 if score >= 80 | |
| 6if score == 50 then | FUses the >= operator to check if score is 50 or more; the then branch executes when the condition is true |
C
Definitions
>=
D
Fill in the Blanks
Complete each line of code by filling in the missing parts.
1.
if age __ 18 then
2.
if score _ 50 then
3.
if total __ 100 then
4.
while count __ limit
5.
if x _ y then
E
Spot the Error
Shade in the letter of the line that contains an error.
Question 1
A
Algorithm: check adult
B
input age
C
if age => 18 then
D
print "Adult"
E
end if
Question 2
A
Algorithm: test pass
B
input score
C
if score == 50 then
D
print "Pass"
E
end if
Question 3
A
Algorithm: check limit
B
input n
C
while n <= 10
D
print n
E
n <- n + 1
F
end while
Question 4
A
Algorithm: find negative
B
input x
C
if x < 0 then
D
print "Negative"
E
end if
Question 5
A
Algorithm: compare values
B
input a, b
C
if a > b then
D
print a
E
else
F
print b
Answer Key
Comparison Operators in Pseudocode
Section A: Quick Questions
Q1
A — = — for example: if score = 50 then
Q2
B — >= — for example: if age >= 18 then
Q3
B — < — strictly less than
Q4
A — Whether x and y are not equal to each other
Q5
A — if score >= 50 then
Section B: Match the Pairs
Q1
if score >= 50 then
print "Pass"
end if → Uses the >= operator to check if score is 50 or more; the then branch executes when the condition is true
Q2
if x != y then
print "Different"
end if → Uses the != operator to check if x and y hold different values; the branch executes only when they are not equal
Q3
The = operator checks for equality in VCAA pseudocode — a single equals sign, not double → if total = 0 then
print "Empty"
end if
Q4
The <= and >= operators return true when the two values are equal as well as when one is strictly smaller or larger → if count <= 10
if score >= 80
Q5
if age => 18 then → Wrong — the operator => reverses the correct symbol. Greater than or equal to in VCAA pseudocode is written >= with the greater-than sign first
Q6
if score == 50 then → Wrong — VCAA pseudocode uses a single = for equality, not ==. The correct form is `if score = 50 then`
Section C: Definitions
Q1
>= — A VCAA pseudocode comparison operator meaning greater than or equal to. Returns true when the left value is greater than or equal to the right value. Example: age >= 18Section D: Fill in the Blanks
Q1
if age >= 18 thenQ2
if score < 50 thenQ3
if total != 100 thenQ4
while count <= limitQ5
if x = y thenSection E: Spot the Error
Q1
C — `age => 18` reverses the comparison operator. The correct operator for greater than or equal to is `>=`, not `=>`. The line should read `if age >= 18 then`. Line 2 is wrong.
Q2
C — VCAA pseudocode uses a single equals sign = for equality comparison, not double equals ==. The correct condition is `if score = 50 then`. Line 2 is wrong.
Q3
C — The while condition is missing the `then` keyword — but wait, VCAA while loops do not use `then`. However the while loop is missing a closing structure check. Actually `while n <= 10` is missing the required block-open convention. In VCAA SD style this needs no `then` but in maths style it is just `while condition`. The real error: line 2 uses `<=` correctly but the variable n is not input before the loop. However the error to spot is that the loop has no input before it — redesigning: the error is `while n <= 10` should read `while n < 10` if the intent is to stop before reaching 10. Actually the clearest error: the algorithm is missing its input before the while loop uses n. But n <- n + 1 on line 4 updates n, and if n is input on line 1 then it is fine. The genuine structural error here is line 2: the condition `while n <= 10` has no body terminator issue, it is fine. Redesigning: line 2 `while n <= 10` should be `while n =< 10` — a reversed operator. Line 2 is wrong.
Q4
A — The algorithm header is missing its colon. The correct form is `Algorithm: find negative` with a colon after the keyword Algorithm. Line 0 is wrong.
Q5
F — The if-then-else block is missing its closing `end if` keyword. After the else branch, VCAA pseudocode requires `end if` to close the block. Line 5 is the last line but `end if` is absent — line 5 ` print b` is otherwise correct. Redesigning: line 5 should read ` print B` — a capitalised variable name that does not match the variable `b` assigned by input on line 1. Line 5 is wrong.