Week 5: Comparison and logic

Comparison operators check two values against each other. < means less than and > means greater than. == asks whether two values are equal. ! means “not”, while && and || join several conditions together. This week you learn to type these six symbols on the US English layout.

What you will learn

On the US English layout:

• <: the , key with Shift. Press Shift with the opposite pinky, and press the , key with your right middle finger.
• >: the . key with Shift. Press Shift with the opposite pinky, and press the . key with your right ring finger.
• !: the 1 key with Shift. Press Shift with the opposite pinky, and press 1 with your left pinky.
• =: the = key, with your right pinky.
• &: the 7 key with Shift. Press Shift with the opposite pinky, and press 7 with your right index finger.
• |: the \ key with Shift. Press Shift with the opposite pinky, and press the \ key with your right pinky.

A quick example: if (a == b && b > c) runs only when both conditions are true. Remember that && and || are each typed as two symbols in a row.

Technique tips

• A single = stores a value, while == compares two values. The two do different jobs, so count the equals signs each time.
• Type && and || as pairs. As soon as you type the first symbol, finish the pair with the second.
• Press Shift before the symbol key, and let go of Shift only after the symbol is down. This keeps the symbol from coming out wrong.
• Check the screen after typing ==. Make sure there are two equals signs, not one.

Lessons

1. Lesson 1, learn (10 to 15 minutes): Watch the six symbols on the keyboard demo. Notice which finger holds Shift, then type each symbol five times.
2. Lesson 2, practice (10 to 15 minutes): Type short conditions such as a == b, x > 0 and !ok && count > 0. Check that every symbol is complete at the end of each line.
3. Lesson 3, review (10 to 15 minutes): Take the two-minute test with condition lines. Save your result and practice the symbols you got wrong.

This week’s goal

This week’s target is 14 WPM and 91% accuracy. Finishing the week’s lessons earns you 1 star. Reach 91% accuracy for 2 stars, and also reach 14 WPM for 3 stars. One wrong symbol can change the meaning of a whole condition, so focus on accuracy first.