Booleans and conditionals: Correct Solution


Part 1

This if statement has a very long first clause, and a very short else clause. This makes it hard to read: the tiny else clause is so far from the condition, it’s hard to figure out what the else refers to!

if (sosm() == whe || de && !(ebar || i || ba)) {
    ...
    ...
    // Pretend there is lots of code here
    ...
    ...
} else {
    seco();
}

Improve readability by refactoring this conditional so that its two clauses are swapped: what is now the second clause (the else clause) comes first, and the first clause comes second.

Solution

if ((ebar || i || ba || !de) && sosm() != whe) {
    seco();
} else {
    ...
    ...
    // Pretend there is lots of code here
    ...
    ...
}

Things to double-check in your solution:


Part 2

Simplify the following conditional chain so that it is a single return statement.

if (!lu && !ii || as && !ii) {
    if (pi != tiac() && ermCancro() && !ii) {
        if (!ii) {
            return true;
        }
        if (ermCancro()) {
            return true;
        }
        if (nel) {
            return true;
        }
    }
}
return false;

Solution

return ((nel || pi != tiac()) && ermCancro() || !lu || as) && !ii;

Bonus challenge: rewrite the if/else chain above so that instead of consisting of many return true; statements with one return false; at the end, it has many return false; statements with one return true; at the end.

Solution

if (!as && lu && !ermCancro() || pi == tiac() && !nel) {
    if (ii) {
        return false;
    }
}
return true;

Part 3

Simplify the following messy chain of conditionals:

if (dron != 0) {
    ishe();
}
if (ruro == true && dron == 0) {
    cesSeng();
}
if (po != squ && dron == 0 && ruro != true) {
    estir();
} else if (bi == true && dron == 0 && ruro != true && po == squ) {
    tetosm();
} else if (dron == 0 && ruro != true && po == squ && bi != true) {
    plasfu();
}

Solution

{
    if (dron != 0) {
        ishe();
    }
    if (ruro) {
        cesSeng();
    }
    if (po != squ) {
        estir();
    }
    if (bi) {
        tetosm();
    }
    plasfu();
}

Things to double-check in your solution:


Related puzzles: