For-in loop with ranges in Swift - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What is a for-in loop in Swift?

A for-in loop in Swift repeats a block of code for each item in a sequence, like numbers or arrays.

beginner

How do you create a range from 1 to 5 in Swift?

You write 1...5 to create a range including numbers 1 through 5.

intermediate

What is the difference between 1...5 and 1..<5 in Swift?

1...5 includes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. 1..<5 includes 1, 2, 3, 4 but not 5.

beginner

Write a simple Swift for-in loop that prints numbers 1 to 3.

for number in 1...3 { print(number) } This prints 1, then 2, then 3 each on a new line.

intermediate

Can you use a for-in loop with ranges to count backwards in Swift?

Yes! Use stride(from:to:by:) or stride(from:through:by:) to count backwards with a for-in loop.

What does the range 1...5 include in Swift?

A Numbers 1, 2, 3, 4

B Numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

C Numbers 2, 3, 4, 5

D Numbers 0 to 5

1...5 is a closed range including all numbers from 1 to 5.

Which Swift syntax counts from 1 up to but not including 5?

A 1..<5

B 1...5

C 1..5

D 1-5

1..<5 is a half-open range that excludes 5.

How do you write a for-in loop to print numbers 1 to 3 in Swift?

A for i in 3...1 { print(i) }

B for i in 1..<3 { print(i) }

C for i in 1...3 { print(i) }

D for i = 1 to 3 { print(i) }

Use 1...3 to include 3, and the for-in syntax is correct.

Which method helps count backwards in a for-in loop with ranges?

A countBack()

B range(from:to:by:)

C reverseRange()

D stride(from:to:by:)

stride(from:to:by:) lets you specify steps, including negative steps to count backwards.

What will this code print? for i in 1..<4 { print(i) }

A 1 2 3

B 1 2 3 4

C 2 3 4

D 1 2 3 4 5

1..<4 includes 1, 2, 3 but not 4.

Explain how to use a for-in loop with a range in Swift to repeat an action multiple times.

Think about how to write a loop that counts from 1 to 5.

Describe the difference between closed and half-open ranges in Swift and how they affect for-in loops.

Focus on whether the last number is included or not.

Practice

1. What does the following Swift code print?
for i in 1...3 { print(i) }

easy

A. 1 2

B. 1 2 3

C. 0 1 2 3

D. 2 3 4

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the range operator

   The range 1...3 is a closed range including 1, 2, and 3.

2. Step 2: Loop prints each number in the range

   The loop prints 1, then 2, then 3 on separate lines.

3. Final Answer:

   1 2 3 -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Closed range includes last number = 1 2 3 [OK]

Hint: Closed range includes last number, so count all numbers [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking the last number is excluded
• Starting from 0 instead of 1
• Confusing closed and half-open ranges

2. Which of the following is the correct syntax for a for-in loop iterating from 0 to 4 (excluding 4) in Swift?

easy

A. for i in 0...4 { }

B. for i in 0 to 4 { }

C. for i in 0..<4 { }

D. for i = 0; i < 4; i++ { }

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify the correct range syntax

   0..<4 is a half-open range including 0,1,2,3 but excluding 4.

2. Step 2: Check Swift for-in loop syntax

   Swift uses 'for variable in range { }' syntax; 'for i in 0..<4 { }' is correct.

3. Final Answer:

   for i in 0..<4 { } -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Half-open range excludes last number = for i in 0..<4 { } [OK]

Hint: Use '..<' for half-open range excluding last number [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using '...' when last number should be excluded
• Using 'to' keyword which is invalid in Swift
• Using C-style for loop syntax which is not valid in Swift

3. What is the output of this Swift code?

var sum = 0
for number in 1..<5 {
  sum += number
}
print(sum)

medium

A. 10

B. 15

C. 14

D. Error

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify the range and loop values

   The range 1..<5 includes 1, 2, 3, 4 (excluding 5).

2. Step 2: Calculate the sum of these numbers

   Sum = 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 = 10.

3. Final Answer:

   10 -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Sum of 1 to 4 = 10 [OK]

Hint: Half-open range excludes last number; sum 1+2+3+4 = 10 [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Including 5 in the sum
• Adding numbers incorrectly
• Confusing closed and half-open ranges

4. The following Swift code has an error. What is it?

for i in 1..< { print(i) }

medium

A. No error, code runs fine

B. Using wrong loop variable

C. Using closed range instead of half-open

D. Missing end value in range

Solution

1. Step 1: Check the range syntax

   The range 1..< is incomplete; it misses the end value after '..<' operator.

2. Step 2: Identify the error type

   This causes a syntax error because Swift expects a number after '..<' to define the range.

3. Final Answer:

   Missing end value in range -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Range must have start and end values [OK]

Hint: Range must have start and end values, '..<' alone is invalid [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Leaving out the end value in range
• Confusing '..<' with '...' syntax
• Assuming loop variable causes error

5. You want to print all even numbers from 2 to 10 inclusive using a for-in loop with a range. Which code correctly does this?

hard

A. for i in 2...10 where i % 2 == 0 { print(i) }

B. for i in 2..<10 { if i % 2 == 0 { print(i) } }

C. for i in 2...10 { if i % 2 == 1 { print(i) } }

D. for i in 2...9 where i % 2 == 0 { print(i) }

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the range and condition

   We want even numbers from 2 to 10 inclusive, so use closed range 2...10.

2. Step 2: Use 'where' clause to filter even numbers

   The 'where i % 2 == 0' filters only even numbers in the loop.

3. Final Answer:

   for i in 2...10 where i % 2 == 0 { print(i) } -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Closed range + where filter = for i in 2...10 where i % 2 == 0 { print(i) } [OK]

Hint: Use closed range and 'where' to filter even numbers [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using half-open range excluding 10
• Printing odd numbers by mistake
• Forgetting to filter even numbers