Introduction to Programming |.:Basic Programming for Beginners:.

A flowchart is a diagrammatic representation that illustrates the sequence of operations to be performed to arrive at a solution. In other word, Flowchart helps us to understand and see the form of algorithms by representing algorithms in picture symbols.
The instructions are depicted using the specific symbols. These symbols are connected by arrows to indicate the order of execution.

Flowcharts are tools used to write programs and they serve the following purpose:
•    They are easier to understand, at a glance, than a narrative description.
•    We can review and debug programs easily with the help of flowcharts.
•    They provide effective program documentation.
•    With a flowchart drawn, it is easier to explain a program or discuss a solution.
In drawing flowcharts, certain symbols are used. They are as shown in Figure 1.
The following example will help us to understand the use of the different symbols in a flowchart:
Example 1    To find the sum of the two numbers, the flowchart will be as follows:

The flowchart shown in Figure 2 illustrates the steps in a straight-line logic. It involves no repetitions or alternate sequence or steps. But, in practice:

• Repeating certain steps of a program is common
  For example, calculating the average marks for 100 students. The step that calculates the average for one student has to be repeated 100 times.
• We take an alternate sequence of steps for some situations
  For example, if the amount in a bank account is greater than the withdrawal amount then the withdrawal is processed. If the amount is less then the withdrawal is refused.