Programming Control sequence
By Robin K. Hill, CACM, November 28, 2021
Elementary programming introduces the standard programming control structures as blocks—sequence, condition, and iteration. These answer the question what to do next. As presented to a class on a board, the written form seems reasonable for the first two, but iteration doesn't strike the same note, appearing somewhat odd. Sure, sequence is critical ("So critical, class, that we take it for granted!") and taking one execution path or another, dictated by a condition, makes sense. But why exactly are loops so important in programming? Those of us with experience understand. But looping does not immediately strike new programmers as a thing, to put it in modern terms; it's not an obvious part of the phenomenology of mundane tasks. Why not? .... '
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