C programming newb needs help

[davidjg]

Hello all:
I am new to C programming and looking for some help and support. I'm currently taking a freshman level CS course in programming and its really new to me. I'm not asking anyone to do my homework, I'm just looking for some guidance in programming.

Here is the problem that I am currently dealing with User Defined Functions. Some of this may seem elementary to you but its very new to me so please be nice. :-)

In the main function user should be asked to enter 6 grades ( 0 - 100), first function called gradeAverage should take two arguments totalgrade and numberofGrades each which is an integer and return a float which is the average.
The second function should take one argument as an float which is the average and return a character ( A, B, C, F) indicating the grade in character notation.

Here is the code I have wrote along with output results and complier errors. Can someone please offer this programming newb some guidance? Thanks!

#include <stdio.h>

int main()

{

int x, y, z;
//x is the Grade Average
//y is the total grade
//z is the number of grades

float gradeAverage(int, int);
char printgrade(float);


     printf("Enter the number of grades: %d\n", z);
     scanf("%d", z);
     for(z=0;z<5;z++)
     {
	printf("The ", z);
	printf("grade is \n");
	scanf("Please enter the grade %d\n", &z);
     }

return 0;
}


float x(int y, int z)
{
int total;

    float avg;
    avg = total/y;
    return avg;
    printf("The grade average is: %d\n");
}

//char printgrade(float y);
//{

    // if(y>=90)
    // return 'A';
    // printf("You got A for the cource\n");

	//else

     //if(y>=80)
     //return 'B';
     //printf("You got a B for the cource\n");

	//else

     //if(y>=70)
     //return 'B';
     //printf("You got a C for the cource\n");

	//else

     //if(y>=60)
     //return 'C';
     //printf("You got a D for the cource\n");

	//else

     //if(y>=50)
     //return 'F';
     //printf("You got an F for the cource\n");

//}

Here is a sample of the output:

Enter the number of grades: 1075120320
12
The grade is
The grade is
The grade is
The grade is
The grade is

And here are the compliler errors I get when I remove the rest of the remarks:

gcc assign.c
assign.c:43: parse error before `{'
assign.c:47: parse error before string constant
assign.c:47: warning: data definition has no type or storage class
assign.c:53: parse error before string constant
assign.c:53: warning: data definition has no type or storage class
assign.c:59: parse error before string constant
assign.c:59: warning: data definition has no type or storage class
assign.c:65: parse error before string constant
assign.c:65: warning: data definition has no type or storage class
assign.c:71: parse error before string constant
assign.c:71: warning: data definition has no type or storage class

[Adak]

Right away, break out from that "x, y, and z" kind of variable naming. Yes, we use i, j, and k, for standard idiom loop counters, but any other variables PLEASE give them short and descriptive names: avgGrade, numGrades, etc. (something like that).

You can't have a grade the user enters, also serve as a loop counter. They have to be separate variables:

Use another variable for the grade - not the loop counter.

     for(z=0;z<5;z++)
     {
	printf("The ", z);
	printf("grade is \n");
	scanf("Please enter the grade %d\n", &z);
     }

[davidjg]

Can you give me an example of what sort of variable to use instead of using the loop counter?

[CommonTater]

Here is the code I have wrote along with output results and complier errors. Can someone please offer this programming newb some guidance? Thanks!

You'll probably get better suggestions from some of the others but I've noted a couple of things in red that may help you along....

#include <stdio.h>

int main()

{

int x, y, z;                          
//x is the Grade Average     <--- use descriptive names eg: int NumGrades

//y is the total grade
//z is the number of grades

float gradeAverage(int, int);  <<--- these should be above main, not in main
char printgrade(float);


     printf("Enter the number of grades: %d\n", z);
     scanf("%d", z);       <---- should be  scanf("%d",&z);
     for(z=0;z<5;z++)   <---- should be: for (int i = 0; i < z; i++); 
    {                                                 
                printf("The ", z);    <--- s/b  printf("The %d", i);
	printf("grade is \n");
	scanf("Please enter the grade %d\n", &z);  <--- should be at the top of the loop
     }

return 0;
}


float x(int y, int z)
{
int total;

    float avg;
    avg = total/y;
    return avg;                 <---- exit before printing result
    printf("The grade average is: %d\n");
}

//char printgrade(float y);
//{

    // if(y>=90)
    // return 'A';
    // printf("You got A for the cource\n");

	//else

     //if(y>=80)
     //return 'B';
     //printf("You got a B for the cource\n");

	//else

     //if(y>=70)
     //return 'B';
     //printf("You got a C for the cource\n");

	//else

     //if(y>=60)
     //return 'C';
     //printf("You got a D for the cource\n");

	//else

     //if(y>=50)
     //return 'F';
     //printf("You got an F for the cource\n");

//}

Think about the order in which things have to be done. Think about doing it in the minimum number of steps.

Also as a matter of personal style... I use function declarations (the ones with the semicolons) very sparingly. I prefer to put my main() at the bottom of the page and place functions above. I find it very helpful in finding problems with undeclared or unintialized variables.