Function call - results not consistent

[pyramid]

Hello. My lab compiles with no problems, but the results are inconsistent. Using 2,2,2, as test data, the result is correct, perimeter of 6.000, and area of 1.732. However, when I try to use 8,5,12, the result is perimeter of 24 (should be 25), and area of 0.000 (should be 14.52

The lab specifies that we store the result of "s" and '"area" in reference parameters s and area.

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you guys!

 #include <iostream> 
#include <iomanip> 
#include <cmath> 
 
using namespace std; 
 
      //Define prototype for isValid Function 
         bool isValid (int tri1, int tri2, int tri3); 
         bool side; 
 
     //Define prototype for calc Function 
         void calc (int a, int b, int c, float &s, float &area); 
 
int main () 
 
{ 
        int side_a, side_b, side_c;
        float s, area; 
        float refS = s; // declare ref variable here? 
        float refArea = area;
 
 
 
    // Function prompting user for 3 numbers to be used for triangle sides 
 
    while (side != 1) //Establish loop here. If side not equal to 1, error encountered, try again.
    {
       cout << "Enter 3 lengths of the triangle sides: \n"; 
       cout << " Side 1:  ";     cin >> side_a; 
       cout << " Side 2:  ";     cin >> side_b; 
       cout << " Side 3:  ";     cin >> side_c; 
       cout << endl; 
       cout << endl; 
 
 
    /*Call isValid Function to determine if the user inputs are valid. 
      isValid Function needs to loop until the correct values are entered */ 
 
       bool side = isValid (side_a, side_b, side_c); 
 
      { 
        if (side = 0) 
        {
         cout << "These edges do not form a triangle."  << endl; 
         side = 0; // Populate side with 0. Error encountered. Give it another try.
        }    
        else // All ok? populate valid with 1, end the loop. 
        {
          side = 1; // If sides = triangle, end loop and continue. 
        }           
       } 
   }  // end  loop.         
 
 
 /*Call calc Function - this function will return the value of semiperimeter and Area. 
 (these values were stored in the reference parameters S and Area.  Output should be perimeter 
 only (side a, b, c) and area.   Set precision to 4 */ 
 
        calc (side_a, side_b, side_c, refS, refArea); 
 
        cout << "Your triangle has a perimeter of  " << fixed << setprecision (3)<< refS * 2 << " and an area of " << refArea << endl; 
        cout << endl; 
 
 
    system ("pause"); 
    return 0; 
 
}//end main 
 
    // isValid Function 
 
       bool isValid (int tri1, int tri2, int tri3) 
    {   
       if ((tri1 + tri2 > tri3) && (tri1 + tri3 > tri2) && (tri2 + tri3 > tri1)) 
       side = true; 
       else 
       side = false; 
 
       return side; 
 
    } // end isValid 
 
 
     /* Write a Function 'calc'.   Return type = void, 5 parameters (a, b, c, &s, &area. 
    Calculate s = semiperimeter and area.   Results of s and area are to be stored in the 
    reference parameters s and area */ 
 
 
      void calc(int a, int b, int c, float &s, float &area) 
    { 
      s = ((a + b + c)/2); 
      area = sqrt(s*(s-a)*(s-b)*(s-c)); 
 
 
    } // end calc function 

[sicarie]

     //Define prototype for calc Function 
         void calc (int a, int b, int c, float &s, float &area); 
 
int main () 
 
{ 
        int side_a, side_b, side_c;
        float s, area; 
        float refS = s; // declare ref variable here? 
        float refArea = area;
/* 
...
*/      calc (side_a, side_b, side_c, refS, refArea); 
 
        cout << "Your triangle has a perimeter of  " << fixed << setprecision (3)<< refS * 2 << " and an area of " << refArea << endl; 
        cout << endl; 
 

Where are refS and refArea set?

Try doing a cout << refS << '\t' << refArea; right before you call calc, then do one right after you call calc.

[pyramid]

The passing by reference is working. I tested random data and I don't understand why some works and others produces incorrect results.

Data tested:

5, 9, 7 = perimeter of 21 and area of 12.247 (correct)
5, 6, 9 = perimeter of 20 and area of 14.142 (correct)
9, 7, 3 = perimeter of 19 (this part is correct) and area of 0.000 (incorrect)
5, 8, 12 = perimeter of 25 (this part is correct) and area of 0.000 (incorrect)

Line 57 & 58: Compiler gives a warning of " converting to int from double. I don't understand this, since I'm sure I used the correct data types.

The output should be precision of 4 significant digits, but only the area is converting correctly, and not the perimeter.

I appreciate any input you guys may have. I checked my codes several times and I just can't seem to figure out the cause of the problems.

Thank you

[pyramid]

My codes works great . No more errors.

I removed line 57 & 58. I thought that I had to do this to pass the value, but what I needed to do was just call my calc function. I changed the code to divide by 2.0 instead of interger 2 (I always forget to do double). Lastly, I created a new variable ‘perimeter’ to store the perimeter value. And result of ‘s’ is stored in ‘s’.
Thanks for the input.