having trouble with some code for my class

[green11420]

[edit] ok everything works perfectly thanks for all the help!

[anon]

C and W are undefined identifiers. 'C' and 'W' on the other hand would be character constants.

[Elysia]

if (surface_code == 'C')
Same for the others. Characters must be surrounded by single quotes '' and strings must be surrounded by double quotes "", otherwise the compiler treats them like variables or functions.

[green11420]

wow, you guys are right. It works now. Thanks a bunch!

[green11420]

Here is my code again, I fixed the first problem but now when I echo the initial height it shows a number like 0.94 which is what the update statement is producing. How do I set it so that it echos the intial height that the user inputs, while still working the way it does?

// File: Golf_Ball.cpp
// Author: ----------------
// Class: ITCS 1214 TR 5pm
// Date: 03/20/08
// Purpose: To determine number of bounces a golf ball
// will make given type of surface and height from which
// it is dropped.

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

int main ()
{
	string surface_name = " "; // Name of each type of surface
	
	float bounce_counter = 0.0,	
			height;				   // Height given by user
			
	char surface_code;			// Code for each type of surface, C, W, or R
	
	// Prompt for and read in height in feet
	cout << "Enter the drop height (in feet): ";
	cin >> height;
	
	// Prompt for and read in type of surface
	cout << "Enter the type of surface (C, W or R): ";
	cin >> surface_code;
	
	// Test for which type of surface entered and how many bounces will occur
	if (surface_code == 'C')
	{
		while (height > 1)
			{
				height = height * 0.85;
				
				bounce_counter = bounce_counter + 1;
				
				surface_name = "concrete";
			}
	}		
	else
	{
		if (surface_code == 'W')
		{
			while (height > 1)
				{
					height = height * 0.60;
					
					bounce_counter = bounce_counter + 1;
					
					surface_name = "wooden";
				}
		}		
		else
		{
			while (height > 1)
				{
					height = height * 0.20;
					
					bounce_counter = bounce_counter + 1;
					
					surface_name = "rug";
				}
		}			
	}		
	// Echo surface type and height, then display number of bounces
	cout << "On a " << surface_name << " floor from " << height;
	cout << " feet the ball will bounce " << bounce_counter << " times.\n";
	
	return 0;
}

here is the output by the way,

Enter the drop height (in feet): 15
Enter the type of surface (C, W or R): C
On a concrete floor from 0.946701 feet the ball will bounce 17 times.

Everything is right, except the 0.94 should just be 15 again.

[kcpilot]

Look at where you are echoing your output. It's after you have made all your calculations! You probably need to create another local variable for height (say, input_height), and set it equal to the input height value right after the user enters that value.

[green11420]

Look at where you are echoing your output. It's after you have made all your calculations! You probably need to create another local variable for height (say, input_height), and set it equal to the input height value right after the user enters that value.

Ok I got it working perfectly now. After I prompted the user for the height I set the "initial_height" equal to "height" and that seemed to fix everything. Thanks for your help.