Choose a Branch with a Number

Supplied materials

• Paper and pencil; an adult may read aloud. No device, account or purchase is needed.

Learn the idea

A condition can compare a number instead of a shape. The symbol ≥ means greater than or equal to. If/else executes the first branch when its condition is true and the else branch when it is false. Exactly one of these branches runs for each supplied input.

Use fictional counters and this paper rule: if tokens ≥ 4, write ready; else write wait. Test tokens = 3, 4 and 6. The equal value 4 matters: it is ready because the rule includes equality. The rule does not ask about the color or size of the tokens.

1. Draw a table with tokens, tokens ≥ 4?, and output columns.
2. Fill rows for 3, 4 and 6.
3. Write true or false before writing each output.
4. Circle the equal case 4 and explain why it takes the ready branch.

Check your reasoning

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Take it further

Change the condition to tokens > 4 and retest 3, 4, 6. Expected outputs: wait, wait, ready. Only the equal case changes.

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