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Monthly_Budgeting_Algorithm_Assignment

This document outlines an algorithm for a monthly budget application that calculates a user's budget based on income and expenses while incorporating debugging techniques to resolve potential logical errors. It details a step-by-step algorithm for user input and expense calculation, along with methods for debugging such as manual walkthroughs, print debugging, and input validation. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of a well-structured algorithm and effective debugging for creating reliable financial applications.

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3 views3 pages

Monthly_Budgeting_Algorithm_Assignment

This document outlines an algorithm for a monthly budget application that calculates a user's budget based on income and expenses while incorporating debugging techniques to resolve potential logical errors. It details a step-by-step algorithm for user input and expense calculation, along with methods for debugging such as manual walkthroughs, print debugging, and input validation. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of a well-structured algorithm and effective debugging for creating reliable financial applications.

Uploaded by

clandy.duos
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Algorithm Design and Debugging Techniques for a Monthly Budget Application

A well-structured algorithm is the foundation of any robust software solution. This paper
presents an algorithm designed to calculate a user’s monthly budget by considering
income, fixed expenses, and variable expenses. It incorporates sequencing, conditional
logic, iterative loops, and addresses potential logical errors using debugging techniques to
ensure accuracy.

Step-by-Step Sequencing Algorithm

1. Start
2. Prompt the user: “Enter your total monthly income:”
3. Store the input in a variable income
4. Prompt the user: “Enter the total of your fixed expenses (e.g., rent, utilities):”
5. Store the input in a variable fixed_expenses
6. Initialize variable_expenses_total = 0
7. Prompt the user: “How many variable expenses do you have this month?”
8. Store input in a variable num_variable_expenses
9. Use a loop to collect each variable expense:
o For i from 1 to num_variable_expenses:
 Prompt: “Enter amount for variable expense #i:”
 Add the amount to variable_expenses_total
10. Compute total_expenses = fixed_expenses + variable_expenses_total
11. If total_expenses > income:
o Display: “Warning: Your expenses exceed your income by $
[total_expenses - income]”
12. Else:
o Display: “You are within budget.”
13. Compute remaining_budget = income - total_expenses
14. Display: “Remaining monthly budget: $[remaining_budget]”
15. End

This algorithm ensures clear sequencing, input management, condition-based decision-


making, and use of an iterative loop to handle multiple variable expenses dynamically. It
also ensures user interaction is simple and understandable.

Debugging Techniques and Logical Error Resolution

Despite having a well-designed algorithm, a logical error may arise where the
remaining_budget value appears inaccurate. For instance, the result might be negative
or excessively high, even when the income and expenses are entered correctly. This could
occur due to incorrect data types, integer rounding issues, or a loop logic flaw.
To identify and rectify this, we apply a structured debugging approach:

1. Manual Walkthrough and Code Review:


o Manually simulate the algorithm with test data to trace the logic flow.
o Check the accumulation in the loop (Step 9). A common issue is
reinitializing the variable_expenses_total inside the loop, which resets
the total on every iteration.
o Example Error:

for i in range(num_variable_expenses):
variable_expenses_total = 0 # This is incorrect inside
the loop
expense = float(input("Enter variable expense:"))
variable_expenses_total += expense

o Corrected Code:

variable_expenses_total = 0
for i in range(num_variable_expenses):
expense = float(input("Enter variable expense:"))
variable_expenses_total += expense

2. Print Debugging:
o Insert print statements to observe real-time values of variables:

print(f"Current total of variable expenses:


{variable_expenses_total}")

o This helps verify if values are accumulating correctly.


3. Use of Debugging Tools:
o Utilize integrated development environment (IDE) tools such as
breakpoints, step-through debugging, and variable watchers.
o In IDEs like PyCharm or Visual Studio Code, you can set breakpoints
before and inside the loop to observe how values change across iterations.
4. Input Validation:
o Ensure the user does not input negative or non-numeric values:

if income < 0 or fixed_expenses < 0:


print("Error: Income or fixed expenses cannot be
negative.")

o This eliminates anomalies caused by invalid inputs.


5. Edge Case Testing:
o Test for zero expenses, zero income, and expenses exceeding income.
o These scenarios help confirm the algorithm behaves correctly in extreme
conditions.
6. Refactoring and Modular Testing:
o Divide the algorithm into smaller functions (e.g., get_expenses(),
calculate_remaining()), enabling easier testing and reuse.
o Unit test each function individually using testing frameworks like
unittest in Python or JUnit in Java.

By combining these techniques, developers can effectively identify and fix logical errors
that affect budget calculation accuracy. Debugging not only ensures correctness but
enhances reliability and user trust in financial applications.

Conclusion

Developing a reliable budget calculator algorithm requires careful attention to


sequencing, conditionals, and loops. Debugging ensures logic integrity and optimal
application performance. Through structured problem-solving and error analysis,
developers can ensure their applications are robust and user-friendly—essential traits in
the world of finance and technology.

References

Gaddis, T. (2021). Starting Out with Python (5th ed.). Pearson Education.

Seow, S. C. (2022). Debugging Techniques for Developers. Springer.

Sommerville, I. (2016). Software Engineering (10th ed.). Pearson.

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