Having garbage numbers while calculating percentage - c++

Question

So, I hate to ask, but, I'm having some issue with this, I'm new to C++ and I'm just starting out. Everything is done for the most part. Expect for a little thing.
Line 35-36 should be calculating the average (Which for some reason, I haven't been able to get it to work.)
Line 41-47 should print out the percentage that heads/tails was landed on with precision to one decimal, and then print out the correct numbers of * to represent the percentage.
But, when I run it, my heads/tail count is messed up. As well as my percentage numbers. I'm just looking for a push in the right direction.
#include <cstdlib>
#include <iostream>
#include <ctime>
#include <iomanip>
using std::cout; using std::cin; using std::endl;
using std::fixed; using std::setprecision;
int main()
{
srand(time(0));
int userInput,
toss,
headsCount,
tailsCount;
double headsPercent = 0,
tailsPercent = 0;
cout << "How many times do you want to toss the coin? ";
cin >> userInput;
while(userInput < 0)
{
cout << "Please enter a positive number: ";
cin >> userInput;
}
for(int i = 1; i < userInput; i++)
{
toss = rand() % 2;
if(toss == 0)
headsCount++;
else
tailsCount++;
}
headsPercent = userInput / headsCount * 100;
tailsPercent = userInput / tailsCount;
cout << "Heads: " << headsCount << endl
<< "Tails: " << tailsCount << endl << endl;
cout << "Heads Percentage: " << fixed << setprecision(1) << headsPercent << " ";
for(int b = 0; b < headsPercent; b++)
cout << "*";
cout << "\nTails Percentage: " << tailsPercent << " ";
for(int b = 0; b < tailsPercent; b++)
cout << "*";
return 0;
}

Answer 1

In addition to the uninitialized variables here, that others have pointed out, the calculations are all wrong.
Take out paper and pencil, and run some your own calculations the old-fashioned way.
Let's say there were five tosses, three heads, two tails. This means that (after fixing the uninitialized variables):
userInput=5
headsCount=3
tailsCount=2
Now, here's how you're calculating your supposed percentages:
headsPercent = userInput / headsCount * 100;
tailsPercent = userInput / tailsCount;
So, using your own numbers, you will get:
headsPercent = 5 / 3 * 100
tailsPercent = 5 / 2;
Does this look right to you? Of course not. You can do the arithmetic yourself. Divide 5 by 3 and multiply by 100. This is integer division, so five divided by three is 1, multiplied by 100 is 100. Five divided by two is two. So you get 100% and 2% here.
Of course, that's wrong. Two and three times, out of five, is 40% and 60%, respectively.
Writing a program means:
A) Figure out how calculations need to be made
B) Write the code to do the calculations.
You're still on step A. You need to figure out how you want to make these calculations so they're correct, first.
This has nothing really to do with C++. If you were using any other language, and coded this, in that manner, you'll get the same wrong answers.
The only thing this might have to do with C++ is that integer division, in C++ does not produce a fractional amount. It's integer division. But that's not your only problem.

Answer 2

Firstly u have to correct ur basics of mathematics.
Calculating %age means
example
(Marks obtained)/(Total marks)*100
Not (Total marks/marks obt)*100
Dividing any no by 0 is not defined. So if ur current code randomly assign toss or head =0, then obviously u will have errors.
Secondly talking about codes, U should either initialize i from 0 , or u should use
for (i=1; i<=userInput; i++)
As otherwise the head+toss value will be userInput-1.
Also remember to initialise variables like
Int headsCount=0;
etc. As the variable will take any random value if not initialised to a fixed no. (Though it does not creates a problem here)
And just change the datatype
int userInput,
toss,
headsCount,
tailsCount;
To
double userInput,
toss,
headsCount,
tailsCount;
This will solve your problem.
Advice: Please use
using namespace std;
in the starting of ur programs as u have to type a lot of std::

Answer 3

Welcome to C++. You need to initialise your variables. Your compiler should have warned you that you were using a variable without initialising it. When you don't initialise a value, your program has undefined behaviour.
I'm talking about headsCount and tailsCount. Something like this should be fine:
int headsCount = 0, tailsCount = 0;
Also note that your loop should start at 0, not 1, since you are using the < operator on the final condition.
Finally, your percentage calculations are backwards. It should be:
headsPercent = headsCount * 100 / userInput;
tailsPercent = tailsCount * 100 / userInput;
Now, there's a weird thing that might happen because you are using integer division. That is, your percentages might not add up to 100. What's happening here is integer truncation. Note that I dealt with some of this implicitly using the 100x scale first.
Or, since the percentages themselves are double, you can force the calculation to be double by casting one of the operands, thus avoiding integer truncation:
headsPercent = static_cast<double>(headsCount) / userInput * 100;
In fact, since the only two possibilities are heads and tails, you only need to count one of them. Then you can do:
tailsPercent = 100 - headsPercent;

Answer 4

1) This loop should start from 0:
for(int i = 1; i < userInput; i++)
2) The divisions are not correct:
//headsPercent = userInput / headsCount * 100;
//tailsPercent = userInput / tailsCount;
headsPercent = headsCount / userInput * 100;
tailsPercent = tailsCount / userInput * 100;
3) Finally:
cout << "\nTails Percentage: " << fixed << setprecision(1) << tailsPercent << " ";