else and else if
- C course
- Beginner
- Lesson 37/116
- 4 min
Learn else and else if chains for alternative cases.
else and else if
else adds a block that runs when an if condition is false. With else if you chain another condition to check.
int score = 75;
if (score >= 85) {
printf("Excellent\n");
} else if (score >= 70) {
printf("Good\n");
} else {
printf("Pass\n");
}Order matters: the first true condition's block runs, the rest is skipped. If none is true, the else block runs. Here 75 >= 85 is false, 75 >= 70 is true; the output is Good.
Logical operators
To combine several conditions in a single if, use && (and), || (or) and ! (not).
int age = 20;
int has_id = 1;
if (age >= 18 && has_id) {
printf("Allowed\n");
}&& is true when both sides are true. || is true when at least one side is true. ! flips true to false. With these you can write complex conditions in a clean way.
Practice Letter grades
Write a C program. Declare int score = 75;. Use if, else if and else to print the letter grade: printf("A\n"); if score >= 85, printf("B\n"); if score >= 70, otherwise printf("C\n");. Put #include <stdio.h> at the top.
Starter code
#include <stdio.h>
int main(void) {
// Declare score, print letter grade with if/else if/else
return 0;
}Sample solution
#include <stdio.h>
int main(void) {
int score = 75;
if (score >= 85) {
printf("A\n");
} else if (score >= 70) {
printf("B\n");
} else {
printf("C\n");
}
return 0;
}Expected output
B
Questions and answers
Review the lesson questions together with their answers. To test yourself, solve the lesson interactively.
1 Complete the else if chain
if (score >= 85) {
printf("A");
} ____ (score >= 70) {
printf("Good");
}if (score >= 85) {
printf("A");
} else if (score >= 70) {
printf("Good");
}Explanation: else if checks the second condition.
2 For score=75 which block runs?
if (score >= 85) { A }
else if (score >= 70) { B }
else { C }- Block A
- Block B Correct answer
- Block C
- All three
Explanation: 75 >= 85 is false, 75 >= 70 is true; B runs.
3 Match the logical operators
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
&& |
And |
|| |
Or |
! |
Not |
else |
Otherwise |