How to use if...else if...else conditional statement in C

'if...else if...else' Conditional Statement

In C, the 'if...else if...else' conditional statement is used for conditional execution of a block of code out of three or more alternative blocks of code.

If the 'if' condition is true, the code block under 'if' condition will be executed. If the 'if' condition is false, the code block under 'else if' condition will be evaluted.

If the 'else if' condition is true, the code block under 'else if' condition will be executed. If the 'else if' condition is false, the code block under 'else' condition will be executed.

The condition in an 'if' or 'else if' statement is evaluated in a boolean context (either 'True' or 'False').

These comparison operators ('==', '!=', '<', '>', '<=', '>=') and logical operators ('&&', '||', '!') are commonly used for comparison in the if condition.

Syntax of 'if...else if...else' condition

Simple syntax of 'if...else if...else' condition is demonstrated in the following example:

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if (condition) {
    // Code of if block to be executed if the condition is true
} 
else if (condition) {
    // Code of else if block to be executed if the condition is true
else {
    // Code of else block to be executed if the condition is false
}
​

Explanation:

if (condition): In the line, 'if' is followed by a condition inside parentheses '()'.
The code of if block is placed inside curly braces '{}' under if condition. The code will be executed if the condition is true.
else if (condition): In the line, 'else if' is followed by a condition inside parentheses '()'. When the 'if' condition is false, 'else if' condition will be evaluated.
The code of 'else if' block is placed inside curly braces '{}' under 'else if' condition. The code will be executed if the 'else if' condition is true.
else: 'else' is used to excute the code under 'else' block if the 'else if' condition is false.
The code of else block is placed inside curly braces '{}' under 'else' statement. The code will be executed if the 'else if' condition is false.

Create an 'if...else if...else' conditional statement

An 'if...else if...else' conditional statement has been created in the following example:

Example of 'if...else if...else' conditional statement

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 #include <stdio.h>
​
    int main() {
    
    if (5 > 10) {
            printf("10 is greater than 5.");
      }
      else if (10 > 7){
​
            printf("10 is greater than 7.");
      }
      else {
​
            printf("5 is less than 10.");
      }
​
        return 0;
     }
​

Output of the above example

10 is greater than 7.

Explanation of code:

if (5 > 10): The line declares an 'if' conditional statement where the condition is '5 > 10'. We know that the condition is false as 5 is not greater than 10.
printf("10 is greater than 5.");: The line is the code block under 'if' statement. In this case, this code block will not be executed as the 'if' condition is false.
else if (10 > 7): The line defines an 'else if' statement where the condition is '10 > 7'. We know that the condition is true as 10 is greater than 7. In this case, the code block under 'else if' statement will be executed as the condition is true.
printf("10 is greater than 7.");: The line is the code block under 'else if' statement. In this case, this code block will be executed as the 'else if' condition is true.
else is used to execute a block of code if the condition of 'else if' statement is false. In this case, the 'else' code block will not be executed as the 'else if' condition is true.
printf("5 is less than 10.");: The line is the code block under 'else' statement. In this case, this code block will not be executed as the 'else if' condition is true.

'if...else if...else' conditional statement may have multiple 'else if' conditional statements as required by the programming code flow.

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How to use 'if...else if...else' conditional statement in C