The four basic logic patterns in programming include simple sequence, selection, loop, and branch. Which phrase best describes these patterns?

The four basic logic patterns in programming include simple sequence, selection, loop, and branch. Which phrase best describes these patterns?

• A. four basic logic patterns...
• B. control structures
• C. data types
• D. subroutines

Answer: (A)

The main concept here is how we name the elements that determine the order in which statements execute in a program. The four patterns—executing statements in order, making decisions between paths, repeating a set of statements, and choosing among options to continue—are classic examples of control structures. The standard term that describes this group is control structures, because that label highlights their role: they control the flow of execution in a program. The other terms don’t fit as well: data types define kinds of values a program can use; subroutines are blocks of code that perform tasks and can be reused, but they don’t by themselves describe how the program’s flow is controlled; describing these patterns as “four basic logic patterns” is descriptive rather than a conventional label for their function.

The main concept here is how we name the elements that determine the order in which statements execute in a program. The four patterns—executing statements in order, making decisions between paths, repeating a set of statements, and choosing among options to continue—are classic examples of control structures. The standard term that describes this group is control structures, because that label highlights their role: they control the flow of execution in a program. The other terms don’t fit as well: data types define kinds of values a program can use; subroutines are blocks of code that perform tasks and can be reused, but they don’t by themselves describe how the program’s flow is controlled; describing these patterns as “four basic logic patterns” is descriptive rather than a conventional label for their function.