C++ Real-Life Examples
Practical Examples
This page contains a list of practical examples used in real world projects.
Variables and Data Types
Example
Use variables to store different data of a college student:
  // Student data
int studentID = 15;
int studentAge = 23;
float 
  studentFee = 75.25;
char studentGrade = 'B';
// Print variables
  cout << "Student ID: " << studentID << "\n";
cout << "Student 
  Age: " << studentAge << "\n";
cout << "Student Fee: " << studentFee << 
  "\n";
cout << "Student Grade: " << studentGrade << "\n";
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Example
Calculate the area of a rectangle (by multiplying the length and width):
  // Create integer variables
int length = 4;
int width = 6;
int 
  area;
// Calculate the area of a rectangle
area = length * width;
  
// Print the variables
cout << "Length is: " << length << "\n";
cout << "Width is: " << width << "\n";
cout << "Area of the 
  rectangle is: " << area << "\n";
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Example
Use different data types to calculate and output the total cost of a number of items:
  // Create variables of different data types
int items = 50;
double 
  cost_per_item = 9.99;
double total_cost = items * cost_per_item;
char 
  currency = '$';
// Print variables
cout << "Number of items: " << 
  items << "\n";
cout << "Cost per item: " << cost_per_item << "" << 
  currency << "\n";
cout << "Total cost = " << total_cost << "" << currency 
  << "\n";
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For a tutorial about variables and data types in C++, visit our Variables Chapter and Data Types Chapter.
Strings
Example
Use strings to create a simple welcome message:
  string message = "Good to see you, ";
string fname = "John";
cout << 
  greeting + fname;
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For a tutorial about strings in C++, visit our Strings Chapter.
Booleans
Example
Find out if a person is old enough to vote:
  int myAge = 25;
int votingAge = 18;
cout << (myAge >= votingAge); 
  // returns 1 (true), meaning 25 year olds are allowed to vote!
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For a tutorial about booleans in C++, visit our Booleans Chapter.
Conditions (If..Else)
Example
Check whether the user enters the correct code:
  int doorCode = 1337;
if (doorCode == 1337) {
  cout << "Correct 
  code.\nThe door is now open.\n";
} else {
  cout << "Wrong 
  code.\nThe door remains closed.\n";
}
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Example
Find out if a number is positive or negative:
  int myNum = 10; // Is this a positive or negative number?
if (myNum > 
  0) {
  cout << "The value is a positive number.\n";
} else if 
  (myNum < 0) {
  cout << "The value is a negative number.\n";
} else 
  {
  cout << "The value is 0.\n";
}
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Example
Find out if a person is old enough to vote:
  int myAge = 25;
int votingAge = 18;
if (myAge >= votingAge) {
  
  cout << "Old enough to vote!\n";
} else {
  cout << "Not old enough 
  to vote.\n";
}
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Example
Find out if a number is even or odd:
  int myNum = 5;
if (myNum % 2 == 0) {
  cout << myNum << " is 
  even.\n";
} else {
  cout << myNum << " is odd.\n";
}
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For a tutorial about conditions in C++, visit our If..Else Chapter.
Switch
Example
Use the weekday number to calculate and output the weekday name:
  int day = 4;
switch (day) {
  case 1:
    
  cout << "Monday";
    break;
  case 2:
      cout << "Tuesday";
    break;
  case 3:
      cout << "Wednesday";
    break;
  case 
  4:
    cout << "Thursday";
    
  break;
  case 5:
    cout << "Friday";
    
  break;
  case 6:
    cout << "Saturday";
    
  break;
  case 7:
    cout << "Sunday";
    
  break;
  }
// Outputs "Thursday" (day 4)
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For a tutorial about switch in C++, visit our Switch Chapter.
While Loops
Example
Create a simple "countdown" program:
  int countdown = 3;
while (countdown > 0) {
  cout << countdown 
  << "\n";
  countdown--;
}
cout << "Happy New Year!!\n";
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Example
Create a program that only print even numbers between 0 and 10 (inclusive):
  int i = 0;
while (i <= 10) {
  cout << i << "\n";
  i 
  += 2;
}
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Example
Use a while loop to reverse some numbers:
  // A variable with some specific numbers
int numbers = 12345;
// A 
  variable to store the reversed number
int revNumbers = 0;
// Reverse 
  and reorder the numbers
while (numbers) {
  // Get the last number 
  of 'numbers' and add it to 'revNumbers'
  revNumbers = revNumbers * 10 
  + numbers % 10;
  // Remove the last number of 'numbers'
  
  numbers /= 10;
}
  
cout << "Reversed numbers: " << revNumbers << "\n";
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Example
Use a while loop together with an if else statement to play a game of Yatzy:
  int dice = 1;
while (dice <= 6) {
  if (dice < 6) {
    
  cout << "No Yatzy\n";
  } else {
    cout << 
  "Yatzy!\n";
  }
  dice = dice + 1;
}
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For a tutorial about while loops in C++, visit our While Loops Chapter.
For Loops
Example
Use a for loop to create a program that counts to 100 by tens:
  for (int i = 0; i <= 100; i += 10) {
  cout << i << "\n";
}
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Example
Use a for loop to create a program that only print even values between 0 and 10:
  for (int i = 0; i <= 10; i = i + 2) {
  cout << i << "\n";
}
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Example
Use a for loop to create a program that only prints odd numbers:
  for (int i = 1; i <= 10; i = i + 2) {
  cout << i << "\n";
}
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Example
Use a for loop to print the powers of 2 up to 512:
  for (int i = 2; i <= 512; i *= 2) {
  cout << i << "\n";
}
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Example
Use a for loop to create a program that prints the multiplication table of a specified number (2 in this example):
  int number = 2;
int i;
// Print the multiplication table for the 
  number 2
for (i = 1; i <= 10; i++) {
  cout << number << " x " << i 
  << " = " << number * i << "\n";
}
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For a tutorial about for loops in C++, visit our For Loops Chapter.
Arrays
Example
Create a program that calculates the average of different ages:
  // An array storing different ages
int ages[8] = {20, 22, 18, 35, 48, 26, 
  87, 70};
float avg, sum = 0;
int i;
// Get the length of the 
  array
int length = sizeof(ages) / sizeof(ages[0]);
// Loop through 
  the elements of the array
for (int age : ages) {
  sum += age;
}
  
// Calculate the average by dividing the sum by the length
avg = sum / 
  length;
// Print the average
cout << "The average age is: " << avg 
  << "\n";
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Example
Create a program that finds the lowest age among different ages:
  // An array storing different ages
int ages[8] = {20, 22, 18, 35, 48, 26, 
  87, 70};
int i;
// Get the length of the array
int length = 
  sizeof(ages) / sizeof(ages[0]);
// Create a variable and assign the 
  first array element of ages to it
int lowestAge = ages[0];
// Loop 
  through the elements of the ages array to find the lowest age
for (int age 
  : ages) {
  if (lowestAge > age) {
    lowestAge = 
  age;
  }
}
// Print the lowest age
cout << "The lowest 
  age is: " << lowestAge << "\n";
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For a tutorial about arrays in C++, visit our Arrays Chapter.
Structs
Example
Use a structure to store and output different information about Cars:
// Declare a structure named "car"
struct car {
  string brand;
  string model;
  int year;
};
int main() {
  // Create a car structure and store it in myCar1;
  car myCar1; 
  myCar1.brand = "BMW";
  myCar1.model = "X5";
  myCar1.year = 1999;
  // Create another car structure and store it in myCar2;
  car myCar2;
  myCar2.brand = "Ford";
  myCar2.model = "Mustang";
  myCar2.year = 1969;
  
  // Print the structure members
  cout << myCar1.brand << " " << myCar1.model << " " << myCar1.year << "\n";
  cout << myCar2.brand << " " << myCar2.model << " " << myCar2.year << "\n";
  
  return 0;
}
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For a tutorial about structs in C++, visit our Structures Chapter.
Functions
Example
Create a program that converts a value from fahrenheit to celsius:
  // Function to convert 
  Fahrenheit to Celsius
float toCelsius(float fahrenheit) {
  return 
  (5.0 / 9.0) * (fahrenheit - 32.0);
}
int main() {
  // Set a 
  fahrenheit value
  float f_value = 98.8;
  // Call the 
  function with the fahrenheit value
  float result = 
  toCelsius(f_value);
  // Print the fahrenheit value
  cout 
  << "Fahrenheit: " << f_value << "\n";
  // Print the result
  
  cout << "Convert Fahrenheit to Celsius: " << result << "\n";
  
  return 0;
}
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Example
Create a program that doubles a number:
  int doubleGame(int x) {
  return x * 2;
}
int main() {
  for (int i = 1; i <= 5; i++) 
  {
    cout << "Double of " << i << " is " << 
  doubleGame(i) << 
  endl;
  }
  return 0;
}
 
Try it Yourself »
For a tutorial about functions in C++, visit our Functions Chapter.
 
