C++ Beginner help

[FreshBoi22]

I need help with this particular programming assignment. Here goes.

Ask the user how many students are in a class. Using a loop, the application should read in all of the student names. When all the names have been read in the application should report how many students fall into each range A-F, G-K, L-Q, R-V, W-Z. The output should be properly formatted into rows and columns. For example if there are four students, Abraham, Deidra, Billy, and Wyatt. The first column, A-F would have 3 students, column G-K would have 0, column L-Q would have 0, column R-V would have 0, and column W-Z would have 1 student. You can assume the first names will all start with a capital letter and no students will have the same name.

Input Validation: The number of students can not be below 1 or greater than 25.


Here is the code I have written so far. I've made it to the input validation but I don't understand how I group the user input into columns for output.

#include <iostream>
#include <string>
using namespace std;

int main()
{
int studentAmount;
string studentName, firstStudent, lastStudent;

cout << "How many students are in the class?" << endl;

cin >> studentAmount;

while(studentAmount < 1 || studentAmount > 25)
{
cout << "Error. The number of students cannot be below 1 or greater than 25" << endl << "Enter a valid amount."
<< endl;
cin >> studentAmount;
}




return 0;}

[AbstractionAnon]

When all the names have been read in the application should report how many students fall into each range A-F, G-K, L-Q, R-V, W-Z.

From that statement it appears you only need to count the number of students in each group. It does not say that you have to print a table of the student names.

Perhaps the easiest is to create 5 groups.

 
  int groupAF = 0;
  int groupGK = 0;
  int groupLQ = 0;
  int groupRV = 0;
  int groupWZ = 0;

When you read in a name, determine from the first letter which group to increment.

The first column, A-F would have 3 students,

Now, that seems to imply you are to print the names in a column. That's a different problem.

PLEASE USE CODE TAGS (the <> formatting button) when posting code.
It makes it easier to read your code and also easier to respond to your post.
http://www.cplusplus.com/articles/jEywvCM9/
Hint: You can edit your post, highlight your code and press the <> formatting button.

[FreshBoi22]

Thanks...after further dissection I've determined I'm not printing the names in the columns, just the number count. Any advice on how to do this..."When you read in a name, determine from the first letter which group to increment."

Thanks for the help!

[AbstractionAnon]

Just use a series of if statements to determine the group.

  char c = studentName[0];  // Get first character of name
  if (c >= 'A' && c <= 'F')
    groupAF++;
  else if (c >= 'G' && c <= 'K')
    groupGK++;
  else if ...
// keep going for the remaining groups 

[FreshBoi22]

Thanks. I'm getting closer. What am I doing wrong?

#include <iostream>
#include <string>
using namespace std;

int main()
{
    int studentAmount;
    string studentName;
    char value = studentName[0]; // gets first character of student name;
    int AFcount = 0, GKcount = 0, LQcount = 0, RVcount = 0, WZcount = 0; // keeps count of the groups
    
    cout << "How many students are in the class?" << endl;
    
    cin >> studentAmount;
    cin.ignore();
    
    while(studentAmount < 1 || studentAmount > 25)
    {
        cout << "Error. The number of students cannot be below 1 or greater than 25" << endl << "Enter a valid amount."
        << endl;
        cin.ignore();
        cin >> studentAmount;
        
    }
    
    for (int counter = 1; counter <= studentAmount; counter++)
    
    {
        cout << "Enter the name of student " << counter << "." << endl;
    
        getline(cin, studentName);
        
        
    if (value >= 'A' && value <= 'F')
        
        AFcount++;
        
        
    else if (value >= 'G' && value <= 'K')
        
        GKcount++;
        
    else if (value >= 'L' && value <= 'Q')
        
        LQcount++;
        
    else if (value >= 'R' && value <= 'V')
        RVcount++;
    
    else if (value >= 'W' && value <= 'Z')
        
        WZcount++;
    
    }
    
    cout << "Range AF" << endl << AFcount;
    
    
    return 0;}

Whenever I do a test and enter names like Amber, Ashton, etc....it still returns a 0 for Range AF. Please advise.

[fredk]

You never set "value" to anything

[FreshBoi22]

char value = studentName[0];

Is that not what that did?

[Moschops]

What is the value of studentName[0] at that point? On line 9. Which is before you have entered the student name.

[FreshBoi22]

Ahhhhh I see!

[FreshBoi22]

Thanks for all the help guys. I truly appreciate it. Here is the final result.

#include <iostream>
#include <string>
#include <iomanip>
using namespace std;

int main()
{
    int studentAmount;
    string studentName;
    int AFcount = 0, GKcount = 0, LQcount = 0, RVcount = 0, WZcount = 0; // keeps count of the groups
    
    cout << "How many students are in the class?" << endl;
    
    cin >> studentAmount;
    cin.ignore();
    
    while(studentAmount < 1 || studentAmount > 25)
    {
        cout << "Error. The number of students cannot be below 1 or greater than 25" << endl << "Enter a valid amount."
        << endl;
        cin >> studentAmount;
        cin.ignore();
    }
    
    for (int counter = 1; counter <= studentAmount; counter++)
    
    {
        cout << "Enter the name of student " << counter << "." << endl;
    
        getline(cin, studentName);
    
        char value = studentName[0]; // gets first character of student name;
        
    if (value >= 'A' && value <= 'F')
        
        AFcount++;
        
        
    else if (value >= 'G' && value <= 'K')
        
        GKcount++;
        
    else if (value >= 'L' && value <= 'Q')
        
        LQcount++;
        
    else if (value >= 'R' && value <= 'V')
        RVcount++;
    
    else if (value >= 'W' && value <= 'Z')
        
        WZcount++;
    
    }
    
    cout << setw(12) << "Range A-F" << setw(12) << "Range G-K" << setw(12) << "Range L-Q" << setw(12)
    << "Range R-V" << setw(12) << "Range W-Z"<< endl << setw(12) << AFcount << setw(12) << GKcount
    << setw(12) << LQcount << setw(12) << RVcount << setw(12) << WZcount;
    
    
    return 0;}