Looping in c

Explanation of loops or looping in c programming language by examples and questions

Looping is the process of repeating of same code until a specific condition doesn’t satisfy. In c there are three types of loop:

(a)loop

(b)while loop

(c)do while

for loop:

This loop is used when we have to execute a part of code in finite times. It is per tested loop. Syntax of for loop:

for (Expression 1; Expression 2; Expression 3){

Loop body

}

Order of movement of control in for loop:

First time:

Expression 1-> Expression 2->Loop body -> Expression 3

Second time and onward:

Expression 2->Loop body -> Expression 3

That is expression 1 only executes in the first iteration. From second iteration and onward control doesn’t go to at the expression 1.For example:

#include<stdio.h>

int main(){

    int i;

   

    for(i=0;i<=4;i++){

         printf("%d ",i);

    }

    return 0;     

}   

Output: 0 1 2 3 4

Explanation of each term of syntax:

Expression 1:

It is called initialization expression. Task of this expression is to initialize the looping variables.

Properties of expression 1:

1. Expression1 can initialize the more than one variable. For example:

#include<stdio.h>

int main(){

    int i,j,k;

    for(i=0,j=2,k=1;i<=4;i++){

         printf("%d ",i+j+k);

    }

return 0;        

}

Output: 3 4 5 6 7

2. Expression1 is optional. For example:

#include<stdio.h>

void main(){

    int i=1;

    for(;i<=4;i++){

         printf("%d ",i);

    }

return 0;        

}

Output: 1 2 3 4

3. Unlike to the java in c we cannot declare the variable at the expression1. For example:

#include<stdio.h>

int main(){

   

    for(int i=0;i<=10;i++){

         printf("%d ",i);

    }

   

return 0;        

}

Output: ce

Expression 2: It is called as conditional expression. Task of expression is to check the condition and if it is false then it terminates the loop. For example:

#include<stdio.h>

int main(){

    int i;

   

    for(i=1;i<=3;i++){

         printf("hi ");

    }

    printf("%d",i);

   

return 0;        

}

Output: hi hi hi 4

Properties of expression2:

1.  Expression2 can have more than one checking condition and if any condition is false loop will terminate. For example:

(a)

#include<stdio.h>

void main(){

    int i,j=2;

   

    for(i=0;i<=5,j>=0;i++){

         printf("%d ",i+j);

         j--;

    }

   

return 0;        

}

Output: 2 2 2

(b)

#include<stdio.h>

int main(){

    int i,j=2;

   

    for(i=0;j>=0,i<=5;i++){

         printf("%d ",i+j);

         j--;

    }

return 0;        

}

Output: 2 2 2 2 2 2

2. Expression2 is also optional. For example:

#include<stdio.h>

int main(){

    int j;

    

    for(j=0; ;j++){

         printf("%d ",j);

         if(j>=2)

             break;

    }

   

return 0;        

}

Output: 0 1 2

3. It can perform task of expression1 as well as expression3. That is it can initialize the variables as well as increment the variables. For example:

(a)

#include<stdio.h>

int main(){

    int i;

    

    for(;i=0,i<=3 ;i++){

         printf("%d ",i);

    }

   

return 0;        

}

Output: Infinite Loop

(b)

#include<stdio.h>

int main(){

    int i=0;

   

    for(;i+=2,i<5 ;i++){

         printf("%d ",i);

    }

return 0;        

}

Output: 2

4. If expression2 is zero means condition is false and any non zero number means condition is true. For example

(a)

#include<stdio.h>

int main(){

    int i;

   

    for(i=0;-5 ;i++){

         printf("%d ",i);

         if(i==3)

             break;

    }

return 0;        

}

Output: 0 1 2 3

(b)

#include<stdio.h>

int main(){

    int i;

   

    for(i=5;0 ;i++){

         printf("%d ",i);

    }

return 0;        

}

Output: 5

Expression 3:

It is called as instrumentation expression. Task of this expression is to increment the variable. Properties:

1. We can increment more than one variable at the same time in the expression3. For example

(a)

#include<stdio.h>

int main(){

    int i,j,k;

    

    for(i=0,j=0,k=0;i<=5,j<=4,k<=3;i++,++j,k+=2){

         printf("%d ",i+j+k);

    }

return 0;        

}

Output: 0 4

(b)

#include<stdio.h>

void main(){

    int i,j=0;

    

    for(i=0;i<=3;++i,i++,++j ){

         printf("%d %d ",i,j);

    }

return 0;        

}

Output: 0 0 2 1

2. Expression 3 is also optional. For example

#include<stdio.h>

int main(){

    int i;

   

    for(i=0;i<=3; ){

         printf("%d ",i++);

    }

   

return 0;        

}

Output: 0 1 2 3

Loop body:

Loop body contains the part of code which we have to execute multiple numbers of times.

Properties of loop body:

1. If loop body contain only one statement then brace is optional. For example:

(a)

#include<stdio.h>

int main(){

    int i,j=0;

   

    for(i=0;i<=3;++i,i++,++j )

         printf("%d %d ",i,j);

    }

return 0;        

}

Output: 0 0 2 1

(b)

#include<stdio.h>

int main(){

    int x,y=5;

       for(x=0;x<3;x++)

         if(y>=5)

             printf(" %d",x);

return 0;        

}

Output: 0 1 2

2. Loop without body is possible. For example

#include<stdio.h>

int main(){

    int i;

   

    for(i=0;i<=10;i++);

    printf("%d",i);

   

return 0;        

}

Output: 11

3. Braces of loop body behave as block. For example

#include<stdio.h>

int main(){

    int i;

   

    for(i=0;i<=2;i++){

         int i=8;

         printf("%d ",i);

    }

    printf("%d",i);

   

return 0;        

}

Output: 8 8 8 3

While loop
Do while loop
break and continue
Nested loop
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