Optimizing User Input for Counting Multiples of 3 and 4 in C

Counting multiples of 3 and 4 is a common task in programming, often used as a basic exercise for learning about loops, arrays, and conditional statements. While the example provided is a straightforward C program to achieve this, there are optimization opportunities to simplify and enhance its readability. In this article, we will review the given C program and explore ways to improve it for better user experience and program efficiency.

Original C Code

The following C program is designed to read 10 integers from the user, store them in an array, and then count how many of these integers are multiples of 3 and 4. Here is the original C code:

int main() {    int a[10];    int t  0;    int f  0;    for(int i  0; i  10; i  ) {        cin  a[i];        if(a[i] % 3  0) t  ;        if(a[i] % 4  0) f  ;    }    cout  t  endl;    cout  f  endl;    return 0;}

Optimized Code and Explanation

The given code reads 10 integers from the user and counts how many of them are multiples of 3 and how many are multiples of 4. The code works correctly, but there are several improvements and clarifications that can be made for better readability and efficiency.

1. Initialization of Arrays

There is no need to store the 10 integers in an array for this specific task. Instead, you can read the input directly into a temporary variable and check if it is a multiple of 3 and 4. This approach simplifies the program and reduces unnecessary memory usage.

2. Combining Conditions

Both conditions (checking for multiples of 3 and 4) can be combined into a single loop, with the program counting the number of numbers that are multiples of 3, 4, or both. This reduces the number of iterations and makes the code cleaner.

3. Improved Readability and Documentation

Adding comments and descriptive variable names can greatly enhance the readability of the code, making it easier for other developers to understand and maintain.

Optimized C Code

int main() {    // Initialize counters    int count_multiples_of_3  0;    int count_multiples_of_4  0;    int count_both  0;    int num;    // Read 10 integers from the user    for (int i  0; i  10; i  ) {        // Read a number and check if it is a multiple of 3 and 4        cin  num;        if (num % 3  0) {            count_multiples_of_3  ;            // Check if the number is also a multiple of 4            if (num % 4  0) {                count_both  ;            }        }        if (num % 4  0) {            count_multiples_of_4  ;            // Check if the number is also a multiple of 3            if (num % 3  0) {                count_both  ;            }        }    }    // Output the counts    cout  "Multiples of 3: "  count_multiples_of_3  endl;    cout  "Multiples of 4: "  count_multiples_of_4  endl;    cout  "Multiples of both 3 and 4: "  count_both  endl;    return 0;}

Key Takeaways

Optimizing user input can make your code more efficient and easier to maintain. Combining conditions can reduce the number of iterations and improve readability. Adding comments and descriptive variable names can greatly enhance the readability of your code.

Keywords

C programming, user input, array manipulation, counting multiples