C++ assignment help on creating codes for reusability? - c++

Question

I've been having trouble doing this assignment. I'm just having a hard time understanding and I am not entirely sure what to do. I've researched and watched videos and havent been able to find the right, specific information. Its a bunch of questions, so I hope someone can not only giveme the answers, but also explain to me so I have a strong understanding :) . Here are the questions:
1)In this exercise we have been given some program code that will accept two integers as inputs
and evaluate which one holds the larger value. This evaluation occurs in multiple places
throughout the code. Write a function that the program could use to perform this same evaluation
instead of duplicating the code over and over. Start by writing a suitable function declaration
towards the beginning of the code file. You will have to decide whether your function will return
some output or not.
2) With your declaration written proceed to define the function, including the appropriate pieces of
code that will evaluate which of the two integers is the largest. If you stated earlier that your
function will return a value, be sure to define what it will return here.
3) Use your result from parts (1) and (2) to reduce the amount of duplicate code in the main function
provided by replacing the multiple instances of the integer comparison with a call to invoke the
function you have created. Remember that the function will require two integers to be passed in
as arguments and if you are returning some value from the function it should be used (stored in
a variable, outputted to screen, etc.). As a word of advice, test your function works correctly after
replacing just one of the evaluations, don’t replace them all at once (if the function works correctly
for the first replacement then it should work for the others).
4) Since the function you have created only compares the values of its parameters and doesn’t write
to them (i.e. change the value stored in them) we should specify in the function declaration and
definition that these parameters should be treated like constants. Make the necessary
modifications to the function and test again to verify the function still works. Confirm the function
will not let you change the data of the parameters by trying to include an operation in the function
that would change the value of one of the variables (e.g. number2 += 10;)
-- Here is the code ( I apologise for the long writing):
#include <iostream>
int main(void)
{
using std::cout;
using std::cin;
using std::endl;
int nNum1 = 10, nNum2 = 11;
cout << "This program will compare two numbers and report which one is larger.\n\n"
<< "Proceeding with evaluation...\n" << endl;
cout << "\nUsing numbers: " << nNum1 << " and " << nNum2 << ", the larger one is: ";
if (nNum1 > nNum2)
cout << nNum1 << endl;
else if (nNum1 < nNum2)
cout << nNum2 << endl;
else
cout << "Neither of them! It's a draw." << endl;
int numberA = 234;
int numberB = 234;
cout << "\nUsing numbers: " << numberA << " and " << numberB << ", the larger one is: ";
if (numberA > numberB)
cout << numberA << endl;
else if (numberA < numberB)
cout << numberB << endl;
else
cout << "Neither of them! It's a draw." << endl;
int one = 'a';
int two = 'A';
cout << "\nUsing numbers: " << one << " and " << two << ", the larger one is: ";
if (one > two)
cout << one << endl;
else if (one < two)
cout << two << endl;
else
cout << "Neither of them! It's a draw." << endl;
cout << "\nUsing numbers: " << 13 << " and " << 84 << ", the larger one is: ";
if (13 > 84)
cout << 13 << endl;
else if (13 < 84)
cout << 84 << endl;
else
cout << "Neither of them! It's a draw." << endl;
int input1 = 0;
int input2 = 0;
cout << "\nPlease enter a number: ";
cin >> input1;
cout << "\nPlease enter a second number: ";
cin >> input2;
cout << "\nUsing numbers: " << input1 << " and " << input2 << ", the larger one is: ";
if (input1 > input2)
cout << input1 << endl;
else if (input1 < input2)
cout << input2 << endl;
else
cout << "Neither of them! It's a draw." << endl;
cout << "\n\tThank you for running me :3\n" << endl;
return 0;
}

Answer 1

You basically have to refactor the code to replace the duplicate code part in your main function.
If you look closely you will see that code like this repeats:
cout << "\nUsing numbers: " << nNum1 << " and " << nNum2 << ", the larger one is: ";
if (nNum1 > nNum2)
cout << nNum1 << endl;
else if (nNum1 < nNum2)
cout << nNum2 << endl;
else
cout << "Neither of them! It's a draw." << endl;
So put that into a function:
void CompareNumbers(int nNum1, int nNum2)
{
cout << "\nUsing numbers: " << nNum1 << " and " << nNum2 << ", the larger one is: ";
if (nNum1 > nNum2)
cout << nNum1 << endl;
else if (nNum1 < nNum2)
cout << nNum2 << endl;
else
cout << "Neither of them! It's a draw." << endl;
}
And call this in your main function instead of duplicating the said code block.