Programming Basics: Track a Variable

Keep a record of a value as instructions change it.

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5 questions0m 0s

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These sheets use pseudocode: readable instructions, not a particular programming language. SET score TO 2 gives score the value 2. SET score TO score + 3 reads the old value first, then replaces it. SHOW displays the current value without changing it.

Worked example

Trace SET score TO 2; SET score TO score + 3; SHOW score. The values are 2 then 5, and the display shows 5. A variable is a name for a value, not the printed word itself.

SET score TO 2 stores two. SET score TO score + 3 reads two and stores five. SHOW score displays five without changing the stored value.

Would you believe it?

A digit can be stored as text rather than as a number. The string "3" and the number 3 can look alike on a screen while needing different treatment in a program.

Python documentation: numbers and strings

Question 1 What is score after SET score TO 2? 2 3 5

Question 2 What is score after the next instruction adds 3? 3 2 5

Question 3 What does SHOW score display at the end? 2 5 The word score

Question 4 If the next instruction is SET score TO 1, what is score now? 1 6 5

Question 5 Does SHOW score change score in this pseudocode? Yes, it adds 1 Yes, it clears the value No

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