Javascript Coding Test Course, Calculating Average

Problem Description

Write a function that calculates the average of an array of given numbers.
The average is the sum of all numbers divided by the count of numbers.
If the array is empty, appropriate exception handling should return a suitable message.

Problem Example

        Input: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
        Output: 3

        Input: []
        Output: "The array is empty."

Algorithm Approach

To solve this problem, we follow these steps:

  1. Check if the input array is empty.
  2. Iterate through each element of the array and calculate the sum.
  3. Determine the length of the array to calculate the average.
  4. Return the final calculated average value.

JavaScript Code Implementation

Now let’s implement each step in JavaScript. 


function calculateAverage(numbers) {
    // Check if the input array is empty
    if (numbers.length === 0) {
        return "The array is empty.";
    }
    
    // Variable to store the sum
    let sum = 0;
    
    // Iterate through each element of the array and calculate the sum
    for (let i = 0; i < numbers.length; i++) {
        sum += numbers[i];
    }
    
    // Calculate the average
    const average = sum / numbers.length;
    
    // Return the average
    return average;
}

// Example test
console.log(calculateAverage([1, 2, 3, 4, 5])); // Output: 3
console.log(calculateAverage([])); // Output: "The array is empty."

Detailed Explanation of the Problem Solving Process

Step 1: Check the Input Array

In the first step, we check if the given array is empty.
If the length of the array is 0, the function immediately returns the string "The array is empty."
This is exception handling for cases where the user has incorrectly specified the input array.

Step 2: Calculate the Sum

If the array is not empty, we proceed to the next step to calculate the sum.
Here, we initialize a variable called sum to 0 and then iterate through each element of the array,
adding its value to the sum. The length of the array can be checked with numbers.length.

Step 3: Calculate the Average

Once the summation is complete, we divide the sum by the length of the array to calculate the average value.
In this process, we can write the calculation like const average = sum / numbers.length;.
Since the average may include decimal parts, there is no need to separately adjust the number of decimal places if not required.

Step 4: Return the Result

In the final step, we return the calculated average value.
This value can be utilized by the caller to print it out using console.log or other methods.

Results and Review

Thus, the algorithm for calculating the average is implemented through exception handling that checks if the array length is 0
and a simple method of summation through iteration.

To review, the process of calculating the average involves summing all the numbers in parentheses and dividing that value
by the count of numbers.
Handling exception situations in this process is crucial in actual coding tests, so it is always important to remain vigilant.

Overcoming Challenges

Here are some points to consider while solving this problem.

  • Need to check if the input array always contains numbers
  • Define the messages or values to be returned consistently when handling exceptions
  • Consider the method of handling if non-number elements are included

When conducting coding tests, always keep the above exception situations in mind
to reduce the likelihood of problems arising.

Conclusion

The problem of finding the average is simple, but requires careful consideration of various exception situations and conditions.
With practice, you will be able to implement algorithms more effectively.

If you have any more questions or concerns, please leave a comment!
Next time, we'll return with another algorithm problem.