Algorithms - EduqasDesigning algorithms with flowcharts

A flowchart is a diagram that shows an overview of a program. Flowcharts normally use standard symbols to represent the different types of instruction. These symbols are used to construct the flowchart and show the step-by-step solution to the problem. Flowcharts are sometimes known as flow diagrams.

Common flowchart symbols

Flowcharts can be used to plan out programs. This simple flowchart maps out an algorithm for a program that prints the numbers 1 to 10:

Advantages and disadvantages of using flowcharts

Designing an algorithm using flowcharts has several benefits:

• It is easy to see how a program flows. For example, where does following one path, as opposed to another, take the program?
• Flowcharts follow an international standard - it is easy for any flowchart user to pick up a diagram and understand it.

Flowcharts also have their disadvantages:

• with a large program, the diagrams can become huge in size and unwieldy to follow
• any changes to the design may mean a lot of the flowchart has to be redrawn