Written: August 14, 2026
Branching on the sign of a number is a classic first if-else lab in C and GTU coursework.
This walkthrough keeps the logic small and readable so you can type it, run it, and then change one input at a time to see what happens.
What you will build
Read one integer and print whether it is positive, negative, or exactly zero.
- Read an integer n
- If n > 0 print positive
- Else if n < 0 print negative
- Else print zero
Working C example
#include <stdio.h>
int main(void) {
int n;
printf("Enter an integer: ");
if (scanf("%d", &n) != 1) return 1;
if (n > 0) {
printf("Positive\n");
} else if (n < 0) {
printf("Negative\n");
} else {
printf("Zero\n");
}
return 0;
}How the logic works
Read the program top to bottom: includes and main first, then the statements that change variables, then the print that proves the result.
If your output looks wrong, print the variables before and after the critical lines. That single habit catches most beginner bugs faster than rewriting the whole file.
Test 5, -3, and 0. Zero is the case beginners accidentally fold into “positive.”
Common mistakes
Forgetting a semicolon, using the wrong format specifier in printf/scanf, and mixing up assignment (=) with comparison (==) are the usual culprits.
Compile with warnings enabled (`gcc -Wall`) so the compiler points at risky casts and unused variables before you chase them by hand.
Try this next
Change the sample inputs, add a second test case, and briefly note what stayed the same. Teaching yourself with tiny experiments sticks better than copying a longer program you never run.
When you can explain every line without looking, you are ready for the next exercise in the series.
