Category: If- else statement

It is possible to include an if...else statement inside the body of another if...else statement.

Example 4: Nested if…else

This program given below relates two integers using either <, > and = similar to the if...else ladder’s example. However, we will use a nested if...else statement to solve this problem.

#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
    int number1, number2;
    printf("Enter two integers: ");
    scanf("%d %d", &number1, &number2);

    if (number1 >= number2) {
      if (number1 == number2) {
        printf("Result: %d = %d",number1,number2);
      }
      else {
        printf("Result: %d > %d", number1, number2);
      }
    }
    else {
        printf("Result: %d < %d",number1, number2);
    }

    return 0;
}

If the body of an if...else statement has only one statement, you do not need to use brackets {}.

For example, this code

if (a > b) {
    printf("Hello");
}
printf("Hi");

is equivalent to

if (a > b)
    printf("Hello");
printf("Hi");

The if...else statement executes two different codes depending upon whether the test expression is true or false. Sometimes, a choice has to be made from more than 2 possibilities.

The if…else ladder allows you to check between multiple test expressions and execute different statements.

Syntax of if…else Ladder

if (test expression1) {
   // statement(s)
}
else if(test expression2) {
   // statement(s)
}
else if (test expression3) {
   // statement(s)
}
.
.
else {
   // statement(s)
}

Example 3: C if…else Ladder

// Program to relate two integers using =, > or < symbol

#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
    int number1, number2;
    printf("Enter two integers: ");
    scanf("%d %d", &number1, &number2);

    //checks if the two integers are equal.
    if(number1 == number2) {
        printf("Result: %d = %d",number1,number2);
    }

    //checks if number1 is greater than number2.
    else if (number1 > number2) {
        printf("Result: %d > %d", number1, number2);
    }

    //checks if both test expressions are false
    else {
        printf("Result: %d < %d",number1, number2);
    }

    return 0;
}

Output

Enter two integers: 12
23
Result: 12 < 23

The if statement may have an optional else block. The syntax of the if..else statement is:

if (test expression) {
    // run code if test expression is true
}
else {
    // run code if test expression is false
}

How if…else statement works?

If the test expression is evaluated to true,

• statements inside the body of if are executed.
• statements inside the body of else are skipped from execution.

If the test expression is evaluated to false,

• statements inside the body of else are executed
• statements inside the body of if are skipped from execution.

Example 2: if…else statement

// Check whether an integer is odd or even

#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
    int number;
    printf("Enter an integer: ");
    scanf("%d", &number);

    // True if the remainder is 0
    if  (number%2 == 0) {
        printf("%d is an even integer.",number);
    }
    else {
        printf("%d is an odd integer.",number);
    }

    return 0;
}

Output

Enter an integer: 7
7 is an odd integer.

When the user enters 7, the test expression number%2==0 is evaluated to false. Hence, the statement inside the body of else is executed.

The syntax of the if statement in C programming is:

if (test expression) 
{
   // code
}

How if statement works?

The if statement evaluates the test expression inside the parenthesis ().

• If the test expression is evaluated to true, statements inside the body of if are executed.
• If the test expression is evaluated to false, statements inside the body of if are not executed.

Example 1: if statement

// Program to display a number if it is negative

#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
    int number;

    printf("Enter an integer: ");
    scanf("%d", &number);

    // true if number is less than 0
    if (number < 0) {
        printf("You entered %d.\n", number);
    }

    printf("The if statement is easy.");

    return 0;
}

Output 1

Enter an integer: -2
You entered -2.
The if statement is easy.

When the user enters -2, the test expression number<0 is evaluated to true. Hence, You entered -2 is displayed on the screen.

Output 2

Enter an integer: 5
The if statement is easy.

When the user enters 5, the test expression number<0 is evaluated to false and the statement inside the body of if is not executed.

C programming are used to make decisions based on the conditions. Conditional statements execute sequentially when there is no condition around the statements. If you put some condition for a block of statements, the execution flow may change based on the result evaluated by the condition. This process is called decision making in ‘C.’

In ‘C’ programming conditional statements are possible with the help of the following two constructs:

1. If statement

2. If-else statement