Conditionals: Making Decisions

Computers can't think for themselves — but they can follow rules! A conditional checks IF something is true, then decides what to do next.

🍴A Fork in the Road

🎮Read the Code: a Lava Game

game.code

# Every video game uses conditionals!
IF player touches lava:
lose a life  💔
ELSE:
keep running 🏃

🔢True or False? (Boolean Logic)

TRUE ✔

the condition is met — go!

FALSE ✘

not met — no "maybe" allowed!

less than

greater than

is equal to

not equal to

≤

less or equal

≥

greater or equal

AND

TRUE only when BOTH are true.
green light AND no cars

TRUE if at least one is true.
snack OR juice

NOT

Flips it — true becomes false.
NOT raining = sunny

🚦You Use Conditionals Too!

🧠 Your brain runs this at every crosswalk:

✔IF the light is green → WALK 🚶

✘ELSE → WAIT at the curb 🛑

🔑Key Terms

🔀Conditional Code that branches based on a true/false test.

⚖️Boolean A value that is only TRUE or FALSE.

✅IF Statement Code that runs only when a condition is TRUE.

↩️ELSE Statement Code that runs when the IF condition is FALSE.

➗Comparison Operator A symbol that compares values: < > == != ≤ ≥.

🔗AND · OR · NOT Logic words that combine or flip true/false tests.

⭐ Remember: without conditionals, programs could never react to what you do — every IF gives the computer a choice!

✏️ Computer Science Anchor Chart · Conditionals: Making Decisions