I Need Help!!!

[trish012]

Okay, I am taking an intoduction to programming class in school right? We are not studying how to code the program, but just the design and logic. Here are the instructions that I am having trouble on:

A supervisor at a manufacturing company wants to produce a report from the PRODUCTION input file showing bonuses he is planning to give his employees based on this years production. He wants to have a report with 3 columns: last name, first name, and bonus.
If this year's production is:
- 1000 units or fewer, the bonus is $25
- 1001 to 3000 units, the bonus is $50
- 3001 to 6000 units, the bonus is $100
- 6001 units and more, the bonus is $200

PRODUCTION INPUT FILE

File name: PRODUCTION

FIELD DESCRIPTION DATA TYPE COMMENTS
Last Name Character 15 characters
First Name Character 15 characters
Last Year's Production Numeric 0 decimals
This Year's Production Numeric 0 decimals
__________________________________________________ _______________

Now, I am supposed to create a flowchart for this problem....

Is there anyone who can help out with this? No matter how many times I read the book, I am still lost. Any help at all would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks soooo much!!

[AdrianH]

Okay, I am taking an intoduction to programming class in school right? We are not studying how to code the program, but just the design and logic. Here are the instructions that I am having trouble on:

A supervisor at a manufacturing company wants to produce a report from the PRODUCTION input file showing bonuses he is planning to give his employees based on this years production. He wants to have a report with 3 columns: last name, first name, and bonus.
If this year's production is:
- 1000 units or fewer, the bonus is $25
- 1001 to 3000 units, the bonus is $50
- 3001 to 6000 units, the bonus is $100
- 6001 units and more, the bonus is $200

PRODUCTION INPUT FILE

File name: PRODUCTION

FIELD DESCRIPTION DATA TYPE COMMENTS
Last Name Character 15 characters
First Name Character 15 characters
Last Year's Production Numeric 0 decimals
This Year's Production Numeric 0 decimals
__________________________________________________ _______________

Now, I am supposed to create a flowchart for this problem....

Is there anyone who can help out with this? No matter how many times I read the book, I am still lost. Any help at all would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks soooo much!!

It is not C/C++, but I'm sure we can help. First off, tell us what you are having difficulty with. Drawing the flow chart? What icons to use for the flow chart? What application you can use to draw it? (you can just use a pencil and paper).

Let us know.


Adrian

[trish012]

It is not C/C++, but I'm sure we can help. First off, tell us what you are having difficulty with. Drawing the flow chart? What icons to use for the flow chart? What application you can use to draw it? (you can just use a pencil and paper).

Let us know.


Adrian

__________________________________________________ _______________
Okay, I am using MS Visio to draw the flowchart. I am using regular I guess standard symbols such as the lozenge for the start/stop, rectangles for decision and diamonds etc. I am not actually going to code anything, just get it down on the flowchart. Some of the examples in the book look like this:
* Just an example:

createReport()
if empMedicalIns = "Y" then
if emDentalIns = "Y" then
print empIdNumber, empLastName, empFirstName
end if
endif
read empRecord
return

This is just an example written in psuedocode from my text. I am supposed to use the instructions above and make a flowchart for this problem.

__________________________________________________ _______

I hope this is enough info, if you need more, I will be happy to provide more details.. thanks!

[AdrianH]

Ok you have provide me with enough info except for one thing. What exactly are you having difficulty with? :)


Adrian

[trish012]

Ok you have provide me with enough info except for one thing. What exactly are you having difficulty with? :)


Adrian

Well, I know how to flowchart, but I am not sure exactly how to get this in a flowchart. I am able to get as far as a start symbol but that's it! lol. I feel like such a dummy :( . I am not sure how to get this problem into a flowchart.. I don't even know where to start, even the psuedocode for this would help but I don't have anything to go by.

[AdrianH]

Well, I know how to flowchart, but I am not sure exactly how to get this in a flowchart. I am able to get as far as a start symbol but that's it! lol. I feel like such a dummy :( . I am not sure how to get this problem into a flowchart.. I don't even know where to start, even the psuedocode for this would help but I don't have anything to go by.

OK, so it sounds like you need help breaking down the problem. Well, I'll see if I can get you started. What you need to do is to create a set of manageable sub-goals to achieve the end goal. Lets take what you posted as the description of the problem and break it down to help kick-start the process.

Here is part of the description of the problem you gave:

A supervisor at a manufacturing company wants to produce a report from the PRODUCTION input file showing bonuses[ he is planning to give his employees based on this years production. He wants to have a report with 3 columns: last name, first name, and bonus.

All the underlined sections describe what is wanted. The bolded section describes where to extract the information from.

Now that you know what is wanted, look at next part which you posted:

If this year's production is:
- 1000 units or fewer, the bonus is $25
- 1001 to 3000 units, the bonus is $50
- 3001 to 6000 units, the bonus is $100
- 6001 units and more, the bonus is $200

This describes in some detail the breakdown of how to do part of what is wanted.

This part that you posted:

PRODUCTION INPUT FILE

File name: PRODUCTION

describes the source of the data.

And finally, the rest that you posted:

FIELD DESCRIPTION DATA TYPE COMMENTS
Last Name Character 15 characters
First Name Character 15 characters
Last Year's Production Numeric 0 decimals
This Year's Production Numeric 0 decimals

are just describing some of the data constraints and are not useful at this time. They will be needed later on in the process, but can be safely ignored for now.

Now that I have taken what you gave me and segmented it in to smaller parts, can you answer the following questions:

1. Can you identify the ultimate goal? What is it?
2. Can you identify any sub-goals that you would need to accomplish in order to achieve the ultimate goal? What is it/are they?
3. In those sub goals, can you see and write down a set of steps that would achieve them? Write them down.

I will leave it at that for the moment. I don't want to overwhelm you in one shot ;) and it may be enough for you to move on by yourself. If not, answer the questions that I gave you and then tell me what you are still having problems with.

Happy problem solving :),


Adrian