Quorum Blocks

Hour 8: Loops

This lesson will teach you how to use loops with blocks in Quorum.

Overview

Perhaps one of the most common aspects of programming is automation. Computers often excel not just at fast number crunching, but also repetition and decision making. In this lesson, you will explore how to tell computers to repeat themselves. There are many reasons for using repetition. It is a hallmark and fundamental skill in computer science.

Goals

You have the following goals for this lesson:

Learn how to use "repeat ... times" statements.
Learn about "repeat while" and "repeat until" statements.
Discuss how "scope" impacts variables defined inside loops.

Warm up

One of the big benefits of computers is that they can do repetitive tasks that would be tedious or difficult for humans to do. What are some examples of repetitive tasks that technology can handle? What do you think the code for those kinds of tasks might look like?

Vocabulary

You will be learning about the following vocabulary words:

Vocabulary
Term	Definition
Loop	A structure that contains code to be run repeatedly. It runs a certain number of times, or so long as a condition is met.
Multiple Line Block	A block that takes up more than one line in the editor, and has multiple parts that can be moved and adjusted.
Scope	The area where a variable exists and can be used.

Code

You will be using the following new pieces of code:

New Code to Learn
Quorum Code	Code Example	Explanation
repeat `INTEGER` times	repeat 10 times output "hello!" end	Runs the code inside the repeat block `INTEGER` times.
repeat while `BOOLEAN`	repeat while i < 10 output "hello!" i = i + 1 end	Repeatedly runs the code inside the repeat block as long as the `BOOLEAN` value is true.
repeat until `BOOLEAN`	repeat until i < 10 output "hello!" i = i + 1 end	Repeatedly runs the code inside the repeat block as long as the `BOOLEAN` value is true.
end	repeat 8 times output "hello!" end	Marks the end of a multiple line block, like repeat blocks. Repeat blocks run code between the start of the block and the end.

CSTA Standards

This lesson covers the following standards:

3A-DA-12: Create computational models that represent the relationships among different elements of data collected from a phenomenon or process.

Explore

When making programs, you often want to run code multiple times. Sometimes it is more convenient to run the same code over and over again instead of writing out duplicate code by hand. In other cases, you do not know ahead of time how many times the code will need to run.

In computer science, you can run code multiple times by using "repeat" blocks. While the exact terms vary across the discipline, sometimes these structures are known as loops.

A flowchart showing how loops work. It begins at the Start Loop step, goes to Initialize Expression, and then to Test Condition. Here, it has two branches: the first is IF TEST = TRUE. This branch goes to Execute Action, then ncrement, then returns to Test Condition. The second branch is IF TEST = FALSE, which goes to Stop Loop.

The "Control" Category

In Quorum Studio, the block palette has a category labeled "Control." In this category, there are three different kinds of loops: the "repeat times" block, the "repeat while" block, and the "repeat until" block.

A snippet from Quorum Studio, showcasing the three kinds of repeat blocks in the block palette. In order, they show:
repeat 1 times
end

repeat until true
end

repeat while false
end

The navigation pane on the left side of Quorum Studio has several tabs, including both the project view and the block palette. To reach the control category using only the keyboard in Quorum Studio, you will need to first to focus the palette, then use the hotkeys to change categories. The table below shows the hotkeys for moving through both the navigation tabs and the block palette with the keyboard on Windows and Mac.

Hotkeys for Tab and Category Navigation
Action	Keys	Description
Focus Navigation Pane	CTRL + 1 (Window) or CMD + 1 (Mac)	Focus the navigation pane. This pane has tabs for the project tree as well as the block palette.
Go to Next Tab/Category	CTRL + Tab (Windows) or CTRL + ] (Mac)	If you are in the block palette, go to the next block category. If not, go to the next tab in the navigation pane.
Go to Previous Tab/Category	SHIFT + CONTROL + Tab (Windows) or CTRL + [ (Mac)	If you are in the block palette, go to the previous block category. If not, go to the previous tab in the navigation pane.
(From Block Palette) Focus Navigation Pane Tabs	ESCAPE x2	While in the block palette, pressing escape once will focus the categories, so they can be tabbed through. Pressing escape twice will focus the navigation tabs so they can be tabbed through instead.

Repeat blocks are a little different from the other kinds of blocks you have used so far. Previously, each block you have used has been a single line of code. These blocks have two parts on two different lines.

These are multiple line blocks. Besides taking up more than one line, the important part of these blocks is that other blocks can go inside of them, between the first and the last line. The picture below shows an example of a "repeat times" block with something inside of it. In computer science, this is often called a scope.

A snippet of a Quorum Studio program. It spans three lines. The first and third line are visually connected, and the second line is inside the other two. The lines read:
repeat 2 times
output ''Hello world!''
end

The "repeat times" block is the simplest repeat block. It will run any code inside of it as many times as requested. In the program above, for example, the block will run its code two times. In contrast, the "repeat while" block does not run a fixed number of times. Instead, it checks a boolean condition. If the condition is true, it runs the code. The example below shows some code using a "repeat while" block.

A Quorum Studio program with 5 lines. The second and fourth line are a single repeat while block. The text of the program is:
integer value = 1
repeat while value < 3
value = value + 1
end
output value

In this example, you start with a variable called "value" that starts at 1. When the code reaches the "repeat while" block, it checks the condition. Because 1 is less than 3, the code executes, and increases the value by 1. Then it checks the condition again.

Since 2 is still less than 3, it runs again, and the value increases by 1 up to 3. When it checks the condition this time, 3 is not less than 3, so it stops. It then outputs the value, which is 3.

The "repeat until" block is the opposite of the "repeat while" block. The "repeat while" block will run if the condition is true, but the "repeat until" block runs if the condition is false. Otherwise, they work the same way. It is always possible to phrase the condition in a way that either block will work. Which one to use is personal preference.

Scope in a Loop

When working with multiple line blocks, you can move blocks in or out of the multiple line block by dragging them with the mouse, or by using cut and paste with the keyboard. Try moving the output block just above the "end" using either the mouse or cut and paste. The picture below shows an example.

When working with multiple line blocks, you can move blocks in or out of the multiple line block by dragging them with the mouse. Alternatively, you can select a block and use cut (CTRL + X on Windows or CMD + X on Mac) and paste (CTRL + V on Windows or CMD + V on Mac) with the keyboard. When pasting a block, the cut block will appear directly after the currently selected block.

Try moving the output block just above the "end" using either the mouse or cut and paste. The picture below shows an example.

A 5-line Quorum program. It reads:
integer value = 1
repeat 6 times
value = value * 2
output value
end

Similarly, you can move blocks into the beginning of the repeat block. In fact, so long as the top part of the repeat block remains above the "end" portion, you can arrange code inside and outside of it however you would like -- though the positioning of code will make a difference. Try moving or cutting and pasting the variable so that it is now created inside the loop, like in the example below.

A 5-line Quorum program. It reads:
repeat 6 times
integer value = 1
value = value * 2
output value
end

In the example above, the program should now output "2" six times. Now, move the output back down again, out of the repeat block. It now flashes red, and your program has an error.

A 5-line Quorum program. The last line, the output block, flashes red because it is an error. The program reads:
repeat 6 times
integer value = 1
value = value * 2
end
output value

When a variable is created inside a multiple line block like a "repeat" block, it only exists inside that block. The output statement is now an error because, outside of the repeat statement, there is no variable with that name available.

The area that a variable exists in is called its scope. In other words, the scope is the part of the program where a variable is allowed to be used. One of the most common types of scope you may run into is local scope. This occurs when variables are contained within control structures (like "repeat" blocks) and can only be accessed within that code block. If you call that variable anywhere else outside the structure, it will result in an error. This is what you saw earlier with the "output value" statement. Because of this, you must pay careful attention to where your variables are being made and used while working with multiple line blocks.

Engage

Now that you have spent some time learning about loops, it is time to try them yourself. Loops are an important concept in programming. This is also your first time working with multiple line blocks. You will start by interpreting the output of some example loops, and then you will make a program from scratch that uses the different types of loops to solve problems.

Directions

One morning you suddenly wake up and you immediately hear the sound of clanking metal. Weird... you look in your bathroom to discover a small robot. They seem to have gotten stuck reading the "Rinse, Lather, Repeat" instructions on the back of your shampoo bottle over and over.

A little Robot by Rock'n Roll Monkey

While neither you or the robot know where they came from, they seem harmless, aside from some acute memory issues. You figure that some mental exercises should jog their memory -- or at least keep them from getting stuck reading your shampoo bottle.

Part 1: Identifying Loop Output

In this section, you will step your new robot friend through some examples of loops. Look at each one carefully and determine what the output of the program is. Please write the entire output as if you are running the program. If you need to recreate the loop to see the output, feel free to do so.

1. What is the output of this program using a "repeat times" block?

A 3-line Quorum Studio program. It reads:
repeat 3 times
output ''Pizza Time''
end

2. What is the output of this program using a "repeat while" block?

A 5-line Quorum Studio program. It reads:
integer counter = 10
repeat while counter > 3
counter = counter - 2
output counter
end

3. What happens in this program where the condition is never met?

A 5-line Quorum Studio program. It reads:
integer freeTime = 0
repeat while freeTime >= 30
output ''Time for a break!''
freeTime = freeTime - 30
end

4. What happens in this program where the condition is always true?

A 3-line Quorum Studio program. It reads:
repeat while true
output ''Help I'm trapped in a time loop''
end

Part 2: Creating Loops

In this next part, you will practice creating loops on your own to solve some repetitive tasks.

Your robot friend has 4 oddly specific requests they would like help solving using loops:

Output every number between 1 and 8.
Output every odd number between 1 and 16.
Calculate 2 to the 11th power.
Compute 9! (9 * 8 * 7 * ... * 2 * 1)

Use each of the three types of loops at least once while solving the requests.

Wrap up

Take a few minutes to consider the three kinds of loops. While it might seem on the surface important to teach or understand all three, in practice there is significant overlap between them. In fact, you can write any program using only "repeat while" or "repeat until" loops. Given that, what are the pros and cons of teaching students all three right when they are first learning the concept?

Next Tutorial

In the next tutorial, we will discuss Conditionals, which describes how to create conditionals in Quorum.

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