Pseudocode & Flowcharts

Computer ScienceOCRGCSEUnit: 3.1 Fundamentals of Algorithms
Free taster
5 of 6 sections open
The basics

Drawing Your Algorithm

Drawing Your Algorithm

Before writing code, programmers often draw their solution. A flowchart is like a map for your algorithm - showing the journey from start to finish. Different shapes mean different things: ovals for start/end (like motorway junctions), parallelograms for input/output (like toll booths), rectangles for processes (like roadworks), and diamonds for decisions (like roundabouts where you choose direction). Follow the arrows!

Now try it yourself

Quiz · Question 1 of 15

Which flowchart symbol is used to represent a decision?

Tap an answer to check it

This topic in real past papers

Every real exam question we've found on pseudocode & flowcharts, with a full worked answer.

Revise every Computer Science topic, free during alpha

Pseudocode & Flowcharts is one of 60 topics on PrepWise — all aligned to your exam board.

Start revising free →