C++ if statement not printing desired output - c++

Question

Problem is with the if statment inside the while loop. It is not printing the desired output. The else if statement and the else statement seem to work fine
Any help is appreciated
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
/*
Write a C++ program that asks the user for an integer.
The program finds and displays the first power of 3
larger than the input number using while
*/
int main() {
int input = 0;
int base = 3;
int exponent = 0;
int sum = 1;
cout << "Enter a number: ";
cin >> input;
while (sum < input) {
// This is the if statement giving me problems
if (input == 1) {
exponent += 1;
sum = 3;
}
// This else if statement seems to work fine
else if (input == 3) {
exponent += 2;
sum = 9;
}
else {
exponent++;
sum *= base;
}
}
// Print output
cout << "3 to the power of " << exponent << " is equal to " << sum;
cout << endl << "It is the first power of 3 larger than " << input;
return 0;
}

Answer 1

Your logic is wrong (and I have to say a bit bizarre).
If the input is 1 then while (sum < input) is not true and so you never reach your if (input == 1) statement.

Answer 2

REALIZED my mistake. i just moved the if and else if statement to outside the loop
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
/*
Write a C++ program that asks the user for an integer.
The program finds and displays the first power of 3
larger than the input number using while
*/
int main() {
int input = 0;
int base = 3;
int exponent = 0;
int sum = 1;
cout << "Enter a number: ";
cin >> input;
if (input == 1) {
exponent += 1;
sum = 3;
}
else if (input == 3) {
exponent += 2;
sum = 9;
}
while (sum < input) {
exponent++;
sum *= base;
}
cout << "3 to the power of " << exponent << " is equal to " << sum;
cout << endl << "It is the first power of 3 larger than " << input;
return 0;
}

Answer 3

If I understood the objective right from the comments, if conditions are not required. Just replace the condition and simplify the while loop as follows:
while (sum <= input) {
exponent++;
sum *= base;
}

Answer 4

Write a C++ program that asks the user for an integer. The program
finds and displays the first power of 3 larger than the input number
using while
You should probably calculate the answer instead of looping.
#include <iostream>
#include <cmath>
int main() {
int input;
std::cout << "input: ";
std::cin >> input;
int x = 0;
/*
3^x == input
ln(3^x) == ln(input)
x*ln(3) == ln(input)
x == ln(input)/ln(3)
*/
// calculate x = ln(input)/ln(3), round down and add 1
if(input > 0) x = std::floor(std::log(input) / std::log(3.)) + 1.;
std::cout << "answer: 3^" << x << " == " << std::pow(3, x) << "\n";
}