Pseudocode: a clear definition?

Posted by Cian E on Stack Overflow See other posts from Stack Overflow or by Cian E
Published on 2010-03-22T02:43:47Z Indexed on 2010/03/22 2:51 UTC
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The following code is an example of what I think would qualify as pseudocode, since it does not execute in any language but the logic is correct.

string checkRubric(gpa, major)
    bool brake = false
    num lastRange
    num rangeCounter
    string assignment = "unassigned"
    array bus['business']= array('person a'=>array(0, 2.9), 'person b'=>array(3, 4))
    array cis['computer science']= array('person c'=>array(0, 2.9), 'person d'=>array(3, 4))
    array lib['english']= array('person e'=>array(0, 4))
    array rubric = array(bus, cis, lib)

foreach (rubric as fieldAr)
    foreach (fieldAr as field => advisorAr)
        if (major == field)
            foreach (advisorAr as advisor => gpaRangeAr)
                    rangeCounter = 0
                foreach (gpaRangeAr as gpaValue)
                    if (rangeCounter < 1)
                        lastRange = gpaValue
                    else if (gpa >= lastRange && gpa <= gpaValue)
                        assignment = advisor
                        brake = true
                        break
                    endif
                    rangeCounter++
                endforeach
                if (brake == true)
                    break
                endif
            endforeach
            if (brake == true)
                break
            endif
        endif
    endforeach
    if (brake == true)
        break
    endif
endforeach
return assignment

For the past couple of weeks I've been trying to create a clear definition of what pseudocode actually is. Is it relative to the programmer or is there an actual clearcut syntax? I say pseudocode is any code that does not execute, how about you? Thanks (links to this subject welcome)

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