Ovals, boxes and diamonds
A flowchart is a plan drawn as shapes joined by arrows. Here is a plan for a monsoon morning.
Step 1 of 5
- Start: an oval.
- One step: a box.
- One question: a diamond.
- Yes goes one way. No goes the other.
- A cloudy morning takes Yes.
The rule
Every shape has a fixed job. A box does one step. A yes-or-no diamond asks one question, with two ways out.
A way out is an arrow that leaves the shape. Fixed jobs let anyone read a chart the same way.
| Shape | Its job |
|---|---|
| Oval | Start or end |
| Box | Do one step |
| Diamond | Ask a question. Yes or No. |
| Slanted box | Input or output |
A slanted box takes a value in (input) or shows one (output).
Name the shape for each card. Then pick the arrow.
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