' Convert grams to kilograms ' PRINT "Enter number of grams" INPUT GRAMS PRINT "Number of kilograms:", GRAMS / 1000 END
Since each kilogram is 1000 grams, the number of grams is divided by 1000 to get the number of kilograms.
Say the above program were run and that the user entered 734 grams. The monitor would look like:
Enter number of grams ? 734 Number of kilograms: 0.734
The string "Enter number of grams" is called a prompt. A prompt is a short phrase which tells the user of a computer program what is expected. The program is said to prompt the user for input.
You should be careful that the prompt makes sense to
the user of a program.
The prompt is for the user;
it doesn't "tell" the INPUT
statement what to do.
Here is a poorly written version of the
"grams to kilograms" program:
' Convert grams to kilograms PRINT "Enter number" INPUT GRAMS PRINT "result:", GRAMS / 1000 END
When this program is run, and the user enters data as before, the user sees:
Enter number ? 734 result: 0.734
The answer is correct, and Mr. Spock might be happy with the program (since "logically" the two programs are the same). But the second version is not user-friendly and is prone to user error. Maybe the user though the program was converting ounces to pounds. Nothing on the monitor would correct this mistaken notion.
Write a program which converts OUNCES to POUNDS.
The program should write an informative prompt to the user,
INPUT
the number of ounces, then write the number of
pounds.