C++ Code Example: Categorizing a Person Based on Age and Other Conditions

Let’s consider a scenario where we want to categorize a person as a “Child,” “Teenager,” “Adult,” or “Senior” based on their age. Additionally, we will have a special condition that if the person is a teenager and a student, they will be categorized as a “Student Teenager.”

Here’s how you can do this using nested ternary operators in C++:

#include <iostream>
#include <string>

// Function to categorize a person based on age and student status
std::string categorizePerson(int age, bool isStudent) {
    return (age < 13) ? "Child" :
           (age >= 13 && age <= 19) ? (isStudent ? "Student Teenager" : "Teenager") :
           (age >= 20 && age <= 64) ? "Adult" :
           "Senior";
}

int main() {
    int age1 = 10;
    bool isStudent1 = false;
    int age2 = 16;
    bool isStudent2 = true;
    int age3 = 25;
    bool isStudent3 = false;
    int age4 = 70;
    bool isStudent4 = false;

    std::cout << "Age " << age1 << ": " << categorizePerson(age1, isStudent1) << std::endl;
    std::cout << "Age " << age2 << ": " << categorizePerson(age2, isStudent2) << std::endl;
    std::cout << "Age " << age3 << ": " << categorizePerson(age3, isStudent3) << std::endl;
    std::cout << "Age " << age4 << ": " << categorizePerson(age4, isStudent4) << std::endl;

    return 0;
}

Explanation

1. Function categorizePerson: This function takes two parameters: age and isStudent. It uses nested ternary operators to determine the category based on the age and student status.
2. Nested Ternary Operators: The ternary operators are nested to handle multiple conditions:
   • If age is less than 13, the category is “Child.”
   • If age is between 13 and 19 (inclusive), the category depends on whether the person is a student:
     • If isStudent is true, the category is “Student Teenager.”
     • Otherwise, the category is “Teenager.”
   • If age is between 20 and 64 (inclusive), the category is “Adult.”
   • If age is 65 or older, the category is “Senior.”
3. Main Function: The main function demonstrates how the categorizePerson function can be used with different ages and student statuses. It prints the category for each example.

Output

When you run this code, you will get the following output:

Age 10: Child
Age 16: Student Teenager
Age 25: Adult
Age 70: Senior

Key Points

• Readability: While this example is more complex, it still remains relatively readable because the conditions are straightforward. However, for even more complex scenarios, consider using if-else statements for better readability.
• Ternary Operator Use: The nested ternary operators allow us to handle multiple conditions concisely within a single return statement.
• Special Conditions: The example includes a special condition for “Student Teenager,” showing how additional logic can be incorporated into the ternary structure.