Elseif ladder execution in PHP - Practice Problems & Coding Challenges

Challenge - 5 Problems

❓ Predict Output

intermediate

Output of elseif ladder with numeric comparison

What is the output of this PHP code snippet?

PHP

<?php
$score = 75;
if ($score >= 90) {
    echo "Grade A";
} elseif ($score >= 80) {
    echo "Grade B";
} elseif ($score >= 70) {
    echo "Grade C";
} else {
    echo "Grade F";
}
?>

A Grade A

B Grade B

C Grade C

D Grade F

💡 Hint

Check which condition matches the score 75 first in the elseif ladder.

The code checks conditions from top to bottom. Since 75 is not >= 90 or 80, but is >= 70, it prints 'Grade C'.

❓ Predict Output

intermediate

Output when all elseif conditions fail

What will this PHP code output?

PHP

<?php
$temperature = 10;
if ($temperature > 30) {
    echo "Hot";
} elseif ($temperature > 20) {
    echo "Warm";
} elseif ($temperature > 15) {
    echo "Mild";
} else {
    echo "Cold";
}
?>

A Warm

B Cold

C Mild

D Hot

💡 Hint

Check if 10 is greater than any of the conditions.

10 is not greater than 30, 20, or 15, so the else block runs and prints 'Cold'.

🔧 Debug

advanced

Identify the error in elseif ladder syntax

What error will this PHP code produce?

PHP

<?php
$number = 5;
if ($number > 10) {
    echo "Greater than 10";
} elseif ($number > 5) {
    echo "Greater than 5";
} elseif $number > 0 {
    echo "Positive number";
} else {
    echo "Zero or negative";
}
?>

A Warning: Variable $number undefined

B No output, code runs fine

C Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Call to undefined function elseif()

D Parse error: syntax error, unexpected '$number' (T_VARIABLE)

💡 Hint

Check the syntax of the elseif statement on line 5.

The elseif statement is missing parentheses around the condition, causing a syntax error.

❓ Predict Output

advanced

Output of elseif ladder with string comparison

What is the output of this PHP code?

PHP

<?php
$color = "green";
if ($color == "red") {
    echo "Stop";
} elseif ($color == "yellow") {
    echo "Caution";
} elseif ($color == "green") {
    echo "Go";
} else {
    echo "Unknown color";
}
?>

A Go

B Stop

C Caution

D Unknown color

💡 Hint

Check which color matches the variable value.

The variable $color is 'green', so the third elseif condition matches and prints 'Go'.

❓ Predict Output

expert

Number of times elseif ladder executes echo

How many times will the echo statement run in this PHP code?

PHP

<?php
$count = 0;
$value = 3;
if ($value > 5) {
    echo "A";
    $count++;
} elseif ($value > 2) {
    echo "B";
    $count++;
} elseif ($value > 0) {
    echo "C";
    $count++;
} else {
    echo "D";
    $count++;
}
echo " Count: $count";
?>

A Echo runs 2 times

B Echo runs 3 times

C Echo runs 1 time

D Echo runs 4 times

💡 Hint

Remember elseif ladder stops after first true condition.

Only the first true condition's block runs (echo 'B'), plus the final echo outside the ladder, so echo runs twice total. count is 1.