convert Metric to English and English to Metric using pseudocod
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Hello This is my first programming class and I need help. I am being asked to design an algorithm for a converter that converts units in Metric to English and vice versa. The choice of code is pseudocode. Please if someone would at least write an example for me of this code I could study it and use it as a teaching aide to help me understand how this works. Thank You
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Hello This is my first programming class and I need help. I am being asked to design an algorithm for a converter that converts units in Metric to English and vice versa. The choice of code is pseudocode. Please if someone would at least write an example for me of this code I could study it and use it as a teaching aide to help me understand how this works. Thank You
xcom2001 wrote:
Please if someone would at least write an example for me of this code I could study it and use it as a teaching aide to help me understand how this works.
pseudocode is an english like structured language, which basically means it is what you want it to be. It is Pseudo because it is not a real language and is not meant to represent any real language. If you are not an english speaker, pseudocode is what ever you generally speak. a quicksort algorithm which is a divide and conquor technique that is very famous, would look like this:
function quicksort(a, left, right)
while right > left
select a pivot value a[pivotIndex]
pivotNewIndex := partition(a, left, right, pivotIndex)
leftSize := (pivotNewIndex-1) - left + 1
rightSize := right - (pivotNewIndex + 1) + 1
if leftSize < rightSize
quicksort(a, left, pivotNewIndex-1)
left := pivotNewIndex+1
else
quicksort(a, pivotNewIndex+1, right)
right := pivotNewIndex-1_________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
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Hello This is my first programming class and I need help. I am being asked to design an algorithm for a converter that converts units in Metric to English and vice versa. The choice of code is pseudocode. Please if someone would at least write an example for me of this code I could study it and use it as a teaching aide to help me understand how this works. Thank You
xcom2001 wrote:
This is my first programming class and I need help. I am being asked to design an algorithm for a converter that converts units in Metric to English and vice versa. The choice of code is pseudocode. Please if someone would at least write an example for me of this code I could study it and use it as a teaching aide to help me understand how this works.
Here is an example of one of the routines you will need:
To convert some centigrade degrees to some fahrenheit degrees:
Put the centigrade degrees into the fahrenheit degrees.
Multiply the fahrenheit degrees by 9.
Divide the fahrenheit degrees by 5.
Add 32 to the fahrenheit degrees.Incidently, though most people would consider this "pseudocode", it is actually Plain English code and can be compiled and run using the Osmosian Order's Plain English development system (which was written entirely in Plain English).
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xcom2001 wrote:
This is my first programming class and I need help. I am being asked to design an algorithm for a converter that converts units in Metric to English and vice versa. The choice of code is pseudocode. Please if someone would at least write an example for me of this code I could study it and use it as a teaching aide to help me understand how this works.
Here is an example of one of the routines you will need:
To convert some centigrade degrees to some fahrenheit degrees:
Put the centigrade degrees into the fahrenheit degrees.
Multiply the fahrenheit degrees by 9.
Divide the fahrenheit degrees by 5.
Add 32 to the fahrenheit degrees.Incidently, though most people would consider this "pseudocode", it is actually Plain English code and can be compiled and run using the Osmosian Order's Plain English development system (which was written entirely in Plain English).
The Grand Negus wrote:
is actually Plain English code and can be compiled and run using the Osmosian Order's Plain English development system
:suss:
Don't know where to start ?
Refer the Forums Guidelines and ask a friend -
xcom2001 wrote:
This is my first programming class and I need help. I am being asked to design an algorithm for a converter that converts units in Metric to English and vice versa. The choice of code is pseudocode. Please if someone would at least write an example for me of this code I could study it and use it as a teaching aide to help me understand how this works.
Here is an example of one of the routines you will need:
To convert some centigrade degrees to some fahrenheit degrees:
Put the centigrade degrees into the fahrenheit degrees.
Multiply the fahrenheit degrees by 9.
Divide the fahrenheit degrees by 5.
Add 32 to the fahrenheit degrees.Incidently, though most people would consider this "pseudocode", it is actually Plain English code and can be compiled and run using the Osmosian Order's Plain English development system (which was written entirely in Plain English).
That's great, but can you please stop using every chance you see to include the words "can be compiled and run using the Osmosian Order's Plain English development system (which was written entirely in Plain English)" or any variant thereof. I don't want a discussion on how you didn't actually include an email address or URL, or how you are helping this person by providing a solution that is also in actual 'useable' code. I just want you, as I have asked many times before, to cease using these forums for self promotion.
cheers, Chris Maunder
CodeProject.com : C++ MVP
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That's great, but can you please stop using every chance you see to include the words "can be compiled and run using the Osmosian Order's Plain English development system (which was written entirely in Plain English)" or any variant thereof. I don't want a discussion on how you didn't actually include an email address or URL, or how you are helping this person by providing a solution that is also in actual 'useable' code. I just want you, as I have asked many times before, to cease using these forums for self promotion.
cheers, Chris Maunder
CodeProject.com : C++ MVP
Chris Maunder wrote:
I just want you, as I have asked many times before, to cease using these forums for self promotion.
Self promotion, as we've discussed before, is the wrong term. As I've said many times before, what we're promoting is ideas - in this case, the ideas that (1) people naturally think, not in artificial languages, but in natural languages, of which pseudocode is a degenerate case; and (2) since pseudocode-like languages can be compiled and run and used to develop even low-level programs like compilers and high-level programs like page editors, we should all reconsider the role of artifical/natural languages in computer programming. The original poster is just starting out and we wouldn't want this person to be denied exposure to all aspects of "state of the art", now would we? Our Plain English development system is nothing but a "proof of concept" that we offer, here and elsewhere, to eliminate unnecessary responses claiming our ideas are "nice, but impractical". That's all. The product is not important except as a working manifestation of the ideas behind it.
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Chris Maunder wrote:
I just want you, as I have asked many times before, to cease using these forums for self promotion.
Self promotion, as we've discussed before, is the wrong term. As I've said many times before, what we're promoting is ideas - in this case, the ideas that (1) people naturally think, not in artificial languages, but in natural languages, of which pseudocode is a degenerate case; and (2) since pseudocode-like languages can be compiled and run and used to develop even low-level programs like compilers and high-level programs like page editors, we should all reconsider the role of artifical/natural languages in computer programming. The original poster is just starting out and we wouldn't want this person to be denied exposure to all aspects of "state of the art", now would we? Our Plain English development system is nothing but a "proof of concept" that we offer, here and elsewhere, to eliminate unnecessary responses claiming our ideas are "nice, but impractical". That's all. The product is not important except as a working manifestation of the ideas behind it.
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Chris Maunder wrote:
Enough is enough.
But enough of what? Exhibit A - In a thread about Latex I suggest that a wysiwyg approach might be a better alternative, with a reference to a commercial product as proof of concept [^]. Exhibit B - In a thread about pseudocode I suggest that thinking of pseudocode as real code might be a better alternative, with a reference to a commercial product as proof of concept [^]. What's the difference? And please don't say that I have a vested interest in one and not the other because (a) you don't know that, and (b) it wouldn't affect the points being made anyway.
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Hello This is my first programming class and I need help. I am being asked to design an algorithm for a converter that converts units in Metric to English and vice versa. The choice of code is pseudocode. Please if someone would at least write an example for me of this code I could study it and use it as a teaching aide to help me understand how this works. Thank You
xcom2001 wrote:
as a teaching aide to help me understand how this works.
I will add some background, since ... other ... discussions led astray this discussion. Pseudo code is not meant to compile, deliberately. Think of it as programmer short-hand. What I posted was close to Pascal in structure, but need not be, you will find C like references of pseudo code. program Celsius To Fahrenheit (input: double celsius) begin // Convert Celsius to Fahrenheit. double fahrenheit = (celsius * 9 / 5) + 32 return fahrenheit; end or purely algorithmic Celsius to Farhrenheit fahrenheit = (celsius*9/5)+32 return fahrenheit Pseudo code originated as an alternative to flowcharts, which for Fortran programming could become very long and tedious drawings. The goal was to design your code, not write it "yet" so it should be A) shorter than your actual code B) be easy to write, without any formal rules, but should be consistent in what ever rules it uses. Back in the Fortran era, language, and column (yes good old punch-card limits) rules made full program writing difficult, thus pseudo code was a way of exchanging ideas and perfecting ideas. There is a REAL reason behind this. As you are designing an algorithm you want to be able to shape it, change it rapidly, yet also be able to understand it. If it follows any persistent "syntax" it gets bogged down in rules than make it wordy and/or impossible to maintain, again like flow-charts. It should be consistent in what few rules it does use for ease of peer-exchanges. The goal is not to finish your code, period. Not with pseudo code at least. Pseudo code or UML or flowcharts are what you bring to design-reviews. Obviously if you have a finished product, and you made poor assumptions in your design, you've just wasted everyone's time by trying to short-cut the process. So Pseudo code is fast, friendly and "similar" to what ever language you are using with absolutely the most minimal rules. In this way a design review can review the pseudocode, you can show what you intend to do without wasting too much time in doing so. You can change that code rapidly from input in the design review, or shortly thereafter. For my design reviews I use a combination of pseudo code, uml flow diagrams and mind-maps. Given the original purpose, the speed of which to A) design code B) present your design C) standardized exchange of peer thought... This combination works well.
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xcom2001 wrote:
This is my first programming class and I need help. I am being asked to design an algorithm for a converter that converts units in Metric to English and vice versa. The choice of code is pseudocode. Please if someone would at least write an example for me of this code I could study it and use it as a teaching aide to help me understand how this works.
Here is an example of one of the routines you will need:
To convert some centigrade degrees to some fahrenheit degrees:
Put the centigrade degrees into the fahrenheit degrees.
Multiply the fahrenheit degrees by 9.
Divide the fahrenheit degrees by 5.
Add 32 to the fahrenheit degrees.Incidently, though most people would consider this "pseudocode", it is actually Plain English code and can be compiled and run using the Osmosian Order's Plain English development system (which was written entirely in Plain English).
Or more succinctly: f = 9/5*c+32 Where "c" is degrees centigrade and "f" is degrees in fahrenheit. This is clearer in every way. -- modified at 20:39 Sunday 10th December, 2006 Not only is it clearer but also more useful. Using the basic rules of algebra I can derive the f->c conversion as follows: f = 9/5*c+32 f-32 = 9/5*c (f-32)*5 = 9*c (f-32)*5/9 = c So c = (f-32)*5/9
Steve
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Chris Maunder wrote:
I just want you, as I have asked many times before, to cease using these forums for self promotion.
Self promotion, as we've discussed before, is the wrong term. As I've said many times before, what we're promoting is ideas - in this case, the ideas that (1) people naturally think, not in artificial languages, but in natural languages, of which pseudocode is a degenerate case; and (2) since pseudocode-like languages can be compiled and run and used to develop even low-level programs like compilers and high-level programs like page editors, we should all reconsider the role of artifical/natural languages in computer programming. The original poster is just starting out and we wouldn't want this person to be denied exposure to all aspects of "state of the art", now would we? Our Plain English development system is nothing but a "proof of concept" that we offer, here and elsewhere, to eliminate unnecessary responses claiming our ideas are "nice, but impractical". That's all. The product is not important except as a working manifestation of the ideas behind it.
The Grand Negus wrote:
Self promotion, as we've discussed before, is the wrong term.
Actually, I think it's pretty much spot on. Don't get me wrong; I don't really care one way or the other if you use this forum for self promotion. Denying it is futile however. In general you only reply to questions which give you some "plausibile deniability".
Steve
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The Grand Negus wrote:
Self promotion, as we've discussed before, is the wrong term.
Actually, I think it's pretty much spot on. Don't get me wrong; I don't really care one way or the other if you use this forum for self promotion. Denying it is futile however. In general you only reply to questions which give you some "plausibile deniability".
Steve
Stephen Hewitt wrote:
In general you only reply to questions which give you some "plausibile deniability".
Actually, I reply when the opportunity presents itself to promote - not myself - but one or more of several principles that lead to different ways of thinking about programming, and that, when applied, produce significantly different programs. Our Plain English development system is one example.
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Or more succinctly: f = 9/5*c+32 Where "c" is degrees centigrade and "f" is degrees in fahrenheit. This is clearer in every way. -- modified at 20:39 Sunday 10th December, 2006 Not only is it clearer but also more useful. Using the basic rules of algebra I can derive the f->c conversion as follows: f = 9/5*c+32 f-32 = 9/5*c (f-32)*5 = 9*c (f-32)*5/9 = c So c = (f-32)*5/9
Steve
Stephen Hewitt wrote:
Or more succinctly: f = 9/5*c+32 Where "c" is degrees centigrade and "f" is degrees in fahrenheit.
And what language is that last line?
Stephen Hewitt wrote:
Not only is it clearer but also more useful. Using the basic rules of algebre I can derive the f->c conversion as follows: f = 9/5*c+32 f-32 = 9/5*c (f-32)*5 = 9*c (f-32)*5/9 = c So c = (f-32)*5/9
Let me make this perfectly clear, at least between you and I, once and for all. We're not saying that algebra is useless, or that algebraic notation is less appropriate than Plain English for certain specific tasks. We're saying that algebraic notation is more easily thought of as a sub-language of English rather than the reverse. We're saying that an intelligent machine should understand both; specifically, it should understand the sub-language in the context of the larger, natural language - exactly as you have used both "languages" in the quotations above. The letters "c" and "f" can be appropriate abbreviations, in certain contexts, but only if their meanings are clearly defined at a higher, more descriptive level. The reason we are emphasizing (at this time) the natural language aspect is that computers already know how to parse, manipulate, and otherwise process algebraic notation - but they don't know how to deal with natural languages with the same level of expertise. And because most programmers are unaware of the amazing power and flexibility that natural languages possess. C'mon - off the top of your head, would you think that an efficient native-code-generating compiler could be conveniently written in English?
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Chris Maunder wrote:
I will repeat: Enough is enough.
:laugh::laugh::laugh:
If you try to write that in English, I might be able to understand more than a fraction of it. - Guffa
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Chris Maunder wrote:
I just want you, as I have asked many times before, to cease using these forums for self promotion.
Self promotion, as we've discussed before, is the wrong term. As I've said many times before, what we're promoting is ideas - in this case, the ideas that (1) people naturally think, not in artificial languages, but in natural languages, of which pseudocode is a degenerate case; and (2) since pseudocode-like languages can be compiled and run and used to develop even low-level programs like compilers and high-level programs like page editors, we should all reconsider the role of artifical/natural languages in computer programming. The original poster is just starting out and we wouldn't want this person to be denied exposure to all aspects of "state of the art", now would we? Our Plain English development system is nothing but a "proof of concept" that we offer, here and elsewhere, to eliminate unnecessary responses claiming our ideas are "nice, but impractical". That's all. The product is not important except as a working manifestation of the ideas behind it.
The Grand Negus wrote:
Our Plain English development system
Haven't you taken the hint that most people here are not interested in Plain English? This site is a Microsoft technologies based site.
If you try to write that in English, I might be able to understand more than a fraction of it. - Guffa
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Stephen Hewitt wrote:
Or more succinctly: f = 9/5*c+32 Where "c" is degrees centigrade and "f" is degrees in fahrenheit.
And what language is that last line?
Stephen Hewitt wrote:
Not only is it clearer but also more useful. Using the basic rules of algebre I can derive the f->c conversion as follows: f = 9/5*c+32 f-32 = 9/5*c (f-32)*5 = 9*c (f-32)*5/9 = c So c = (f-32)*5/9
Let me make this perfectly clear, at least between you and I, once and for all. We're not saying that algebra is useless, or that algebraic notation is less appropriate than Plain English for certain specific tasks. We're saying that algebraic notation is more easily thought of as a sub-language of English rather than the reverse. We're saying that an intelligent machine should understand both; specifically, it should understand the sub-language in the context of the larger, natural language - exactly as you have used both "languages" in the quotations above. The letters "c" and "f" can be appropriate abbreviations, in certain contexts, but only if their meanings are clearly defined at a higher, more descriptive level. The reason we are emphasizing (at this time) the natural language aspect is that computers already know how to parse, manipulate, and otherwise process algebraic notation - but they don't know how to deal with natural languages with the same level of expertise. And because most programmers are unaware of the amazing power and flexibility that natural languages possess. C'mon - off the top of your head, would you think that an efficient native-code-generating compiler could be conveniently written in English?
The Grand Negus wrote:
algebraic notation is less appropriate than Plain English for certain specific tasks
Isn't it possible for you to have any kind of discussion in these forums without uttering "Plain English"? I am starting to think it is not possible...
If you try to write that in English, I might be able to understand more than a fraction of it. - Guffa
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Stephen Hewitt wrote:
Or more succinctly: f = 9/5*c+32 Where "c" is degrees centigrade and "f" is degrees in fahrenheit.
And what language is that last line?
Stephen Hewitt wrote:
Not only is it clearer but also more useful. Using the basic rules of algebre I can derive the f->c conversion as follows: f = 9/5*c+32 f-32 = 9/5*c (f-32)*5 = 9*c (f-32)*5/9 = c So c = (f-32)*5/9
Let me make this perfectly clear, at least between you and I, once and for all. We're not saying that algebra is useless, or that algebraic notation is less appropriate than Plain English for certain specific tasks. We're saying that algebraic notation is more easily thought of as a sub-language of English rather than the reverse. We're saying that an intelligent machine should understand both; specifically, it should understand the sub-language in the context of the larger, natural language - exactly as you have used both "languages" in the quotations above. The letters "c" and "f" can be appropriate abbreviations, in certain contexts, but only if their meanings are clearly defined at a higher, more descriptive level. The reason we are emphasizing (at this time) the natural language aspect is that computers already know how to parse, manipulate, and otherwise process algebraic notation - but they don't know how to deal with natural languages with the same level of expertise. And because most programmers are unaware of the amazing power and flexibility that natural languages possess. C'mon - off the top of your head, would you think that an efficient native-code-generating compiler could be conveniently written in English?
The Grand Negus wrote:
And what language is that last line?
I've got nothing against English; my gripe is with the use of English in an inappropriate context.
The Grand Negus wrote:
We're not saying that algebra is useless, or that algebraic notation is less appropriate than Plain English for certain specific tasks.
I agree with this sentiment. However, going back to the point I made above, a formula with some definitions in English as I gave above is a much better way to present the c->f conversion algorithm than English. In short, I contend that your example was a bad example of the merits of plain English.
Steve
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Stephen Hewitt wrote:
In general you only reply to questions which give you some "plausibile deniability".
Actually, I reply when the opportunity presents itself to promote - not myself - but one or more of several principles that lead to different ways of thinking about programming, and that, when applied, produce significantly different programs. Our Plain English development system is one example.
The Grand Negus wrote:
Our Plain English development system is one example.
:|:zzz:
If you try to write that in English, I might be able to understand more than a fraction of it. - Guffa
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The Grand Negus wrote:
And what language is that last line?
I've got nothing against English; my gripe is with the use of English in an inappropriate context.
The Grand Negus wrote:
We're not saying that algebra is useless, or that algebraic notation is less appropriate than Plain English for certain specific tasks.
I agree with this sentiment. However, going back to the point I made above, a formula with some definitions in English as I gave above is a much better way to present the c->f conversion algorithm than English. In short, I contend that your example was a bad example of the merits of plain English.
Steve
Stephen Hewitt wrote:
In short, I contend that your example was a bad example of the merits of plain English.
Agreed. Mathematical relations are a weak point in every natural language; that's why things like algebraic notation are invented in the first place. But I didn't get the choose the example here - the problem assigned by the instructor was clearly math-centric. Nevertheless, I'm quite sure that a complete solution to the given problem - including the interface, etc - would include a much smaller percentage of formulaic matter and would therefore benefit from the "compiled pseudocode" I recommended. It's not unlike a MIDI music machine I programmed years ago on and Apple II. There were certain routines that, for performance, had to be written in assembler. But the bulk of the program was much more easily written, tested, modified, and perfected in Applesoft Basic (a more English-like language). Besides, formulaic languages reach their "limits" very quickly (no pun intended). Consider, for example, this natural language description of an object:
a two-inch aluminum cube with a quarter-inch spherical void at its center
What's the formula for that? And for the other zillion things that can be easily described in half a sentence but that nevertheless defy mathematical description?
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The Grand Negus wrote:
Our Plain English development system
Haven't you taken the hint that most people here are not interested in Plain English? This site is a Microsoft technologies based site.
If you try to write that in English, I might be able to understand more than a fraction of it. - Guffa