C Program to check given number is zero or not

Understanding the Problem

In this guide, we’ll create a C program to determine whether a user-entered number is zero or not. This fundamental concept in C involves using conditional statements to evaluate the number and provide an appropriate output.

Steps Involved

1. Include Necessary Header:
2. Declare Variables:
3. Get User Input:
4. Check for Zero:
5. Display the Result:

Detailed Code Explanation

1. Include Header:

C

#include <stdio.h>

• This line includes the standard input/output library (stdio.h), providing functions like printf and scanf for interacting with the user.

2. Declare Variables:

C

int main() {
    int num;

• Inside the main function, we declare an integer variable named num to store the user’s input.

3. Get User Input:

C

    printf("Enter a number: ");
    scanf("%d", &num);

• printf displays a prompt asking the user to enter a number.
• scanf reads the integer entered by the user and stores it in the num variable.

4. Check for Zero:

C

    if (num == 0) {
        printf("The number is zero.\n");
    } else {
        printf("The number is not zero.\n");
    }

• The if statement checks if the value of num is equal to 0.
• If it is, the first printf statement is executed, indicating that the number is zero.
• If num is not zero, the else block executes, printing that the number is not zero.

5. Display the Result:

C

    return 0;
}

• The return 0; statement indicates successful program execution.

Compiling and Running the Program

1. Save the code as a .c file (e.g., zero_check.c).
2. Open a terminal or command prompt.
3. Navigate to the directory where you saved the file.
4. Use a C compiler (like GCC) to compile the code: Bashgcc zero_check.c -o zero_check
5. Run the executable: Bash./zero_check

Key Points:

• The == operator is used for comparison.
• The printf function displays output to the console.
• The scanf function reads input from the user.
• The return 0; statement signifies successful program termination.

Additional Notes:

• Consider adding error handling for invalid input (e.g., non-numeric characters).
• Explore using different conditional structures for more complex checks.
• Practice modularizing code for better organization and reusability.