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Break and Continue

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In this section, we will explore two important control flow statements in C++: break and continue. These statements are used to alter the flow of loops and switch cases, providing more control over the execution of your code.

Break Statement

The break statement is used to exit a loop or switch case prematurely. When a break statement is encountered, the control is transferred to the statement immediately following the loop or switch case.

Syntax

break;

Example: Using break in a Loop

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

int main() {
    for (int i = 1; i <= 10; i++) {
        if (i == 5) {
            break; // Exit the loop when i is 5
        }
        cout << i << " ";
    }
    return 0;
}

Explanation:

  • The loop starts with i equal to 1 and increments i by 1 in each iteration.
  • When i becomes 5, the break statement is executed, and the loop terminates.
  • The output will be: 1 2 3 4

Example: Using break in a Switch Case

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

int main() {
    int day = 3;

    switch (day) {
        case 1:
            cout << "Monday";
            break;
        case 2:
            cout << "Tuesday";
            break;
        case 3:
            cout << "Wednesday";
            break;
        default:
            cout << "Invalid day";
    }
    return 0;
}

Explanation:

  • The switch statement checks the value of day.
  • When day is 3, the corresponding case is executed, printing "Wednesday".
  • The break statement prevents the execution from falling through to the next case.

Continue Statement

The continue statement is used to skip the current iteration of a loop and proceed to the next iteration. It is commonly used to skip certain conditions within a loop.

Syntax

continue;

Example: Using continue in a Loop

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

int main() {
    for (int i = 1; i <= 10; i++) {
        if (i % 2 == 0) {
            continue; // Skip the current iteration if i is even
        }
        cout << i << " ";
    }
    return 0;
}

Explanation:

  • The loop starts with i equal to 1 and increments i by 1 in each iteration.
  • If i is even, the continue statement is executed, skipping the current iteration.
  • The output will be: 1 3 5 7 9

Practical Exercises

Exercise 1: Using break in a Loop

Problem: Write a program that prints numbers from 1 to 20. If the number is 15, the loop should terminate.

Solution:

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

int main() {
    for (int i = 1; i <= 20; i++) {
        if (i == 15) {
            break;
        }
        cout << i << " ";
    }
    return 0;
}

Exercise 2: Using continue in a Loop

Problem: Write a program that prints numbers from 1 to 10, but skips the numbers that are multiples of 3.

Solution:

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

int main() {
    for (int i = 1; i <= 10; i++) {
        if (i % 3 == 0) {
            continue;
        }
        cout << i << " ";
    }
    return 0;
}

Common Mistakes and Tips

  • Misplacing break and continue: Ensure that break and continue are placed within the correct loop or switch case.
  • Infinite Loops: Using continue without proper loop control can lead to infinite loops. Always ensure that the loop has a valid termination condition.
  • Fall-through in Switch Cases: Without break statements, switch cases will fall through to the next case. Always use break unless intentional fall-through is desired.

Conclusion

In this section, we learned about the break and continue statements in C++. The break statement is used to exit loops or switch cases prematurely, while the continue statement is used to skip the current iteration of a loop. Understanding these control flow statements is essential for writing efficient and effective C++ programs. In the next section, we will delve into functions, which are fundamental building blocks for modular and reusable code.

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