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Year 6 Coding & Computational Thinking Maths Link

Conditionals: If-Then-Else

Learn how computers make decisions using conditions -- just like comparing numbers in Maths!

What are Conditionals?

A conditional lets a program make decisions. It checks if something is true or false, then does different things depending on the answer.

You make conditional decisions every day: "If it's raining, then take an umbrella, else wear sunglasses."

Morning Decision

If it's a weekday, then go to school.
Else sleep in!

Dinner Decision

If you're hungry, then eat dinner.
Else have a small snack later.

Flowchart: Should I Wear a Jacket?

START
Check the temperature
temp < 15?
YES
Wear a jacket
NO
No jacket needed
GO OUTSIDE

Maths Connection: Comparisons

Conditionals use the comparison operators you already know from Maths:

>

Greater than

5 > 3 is true

<

Less than

2 < 7 is true

===

Equal to

4 === 4 is true

>=

Greater or equal

5 >= 5 is true

<=

Less or equal

3 <= 5 is true

!==

Not equal to

3 !== 5 is true

Try It: Interactive Code Examples

Temperature Checker

let temp = 35;

if (temp > 30) {
    display("It's hot! Stay hydrated.");
} else if (temp > 15) {
    display("Nice weather!");
} else {
    display("It's cold! Wear a jacket.");
}
degrees C

Grade Calculator

let score = 75;

if (score >= 90) {
    display("Grade: A - Excellent!");
} else if (score >= 75) {
    display("Grade: B - Great work!");
} else if (score >= 50) {
    display("Grade: C - Pass");
} else {
    display("Grade: F - Keep trying!");
}

Key Vocabulary

Conditional

A statement that makes a decision based on whether a condition is true or false.

Condition

A test that evaluates to true or false. E.g., score >= 50

if

Runs code only if the condition is true.

else

Runs code when the if condition is false. The "otherwise" path.

else if

Checks an additional condition when the first if is false.

Comparison Operator

Symbols that compare values: > < === >= <= !==

Worked Examples

1

What does this code display when age = 16?

let age = 16;
if (age >= 18) {
    display("You can vote!");
} else {
    display("You cannot vote yet.");
}

Step 1: Check the condition: is 16 >= 18? No (false).

Step 2: Since the condition is false, skip the if block and run the else block.

Answer: It displays "You cannot vote yet."

2

What does this nested conditional display when x = 0?

let x = 0;
if (x > 0) {
    display("Positive");
} else if (x < 0) {
    display("Negative");
} else {
    display("Zero");
}

Step 1: Is 0 > 0? No. Skip to else if.

Step 2: Is 0 < 0? No. Skip to else.

Step 3: Both conditions were false, so run the else block.

Answer: It displays "Zero"

3

Write a conditional to check if a number is even or odd

Think: A number is even if it divides by 2 with no remainder. In code, we use % (modulo) to check the remainder.

let number = 7;
if (number % 2 === 0) {
    display(number + " is even");
} else {
    display(number + " is odd");
}

Answer: 7 % 2 = 1 (remainder of 1), so it displays "7 is odd".

Knowledge Check

Select the correct answer for each question.

Question 1

What does this code display?

let temp = 22;
if (temp > 30) {
    display("Hot!");
} else {
    display("Not hot.");
}

Question 2

Which comparison is true?

Question 3

What grade does a score of 62 get?

if (score >= 80) { grade = "A"; }
else if (score >= 60) { grade = "B"; }
else if (score >= 40) { grade = "C"; }
else { grade = "F"; }

Question 4

What keyword do you use to check an additional condition after if?

Question 5

What does this code display when number = 10?

let number = 10;
if (number % 2 === 0) {
    display("Even");
} else {
    display("Odd");
}

Key Concepts Summary

Year 5: Variables Data Year 7: Data Maths