Cracking the Code: Building a Simple Calculator with C
When it comes to programming, understanding the basics is key to unlocking more complex concepts. One fundamental concept in C programming is the switch statement, which allows you to execute different blocks of code based on the value of an expression. In this article, we’ll explore how to build a simple calculator using the switch statement, break, and continue.
Gathering Input
The first step in building our calculator is to gather input from the user. We need to know what operation they want to perform and what two numbers they want to operate on. To do this, we’ll use the scanf function to read in the operator (+, -, *, /) and two operands.
The Switch Statement: The Heart of Our Calculator
The switch statement is where the magic happens. We’ll use it to determine which operation to perform based on the operator entered by the user. The syntax is simple: switch (op) {... }. Inside the switch block, we’ll define cases for each possible operator. For example, if the user enters the * operator, we’ll jump to the case '*' block.
Performing Calculations
Once we’re inside the correct case block, we can perform the calculation. For multiplication, we’ll simply multiply the two operands together: result = first * second;. To make our output look cleaner, we’ll limit the result to one decimal place using the %.1lf format specifier.
Breaking Out
Finally, we’ll use the break statement to exit the switch block and prevent the program from falling through to the next case. Without break, our program would continue executing code until it reaches the end of the switch block or encounters another break statement.
The Final Result
When we run our program, we’ll see the result of the calculation displayed on the screen. With the switch statement, break, and continue, we’ve built a simple yet powerful calculator that can perform basic arithmetic operations.