Problem with continue instruction after rand() function

Question

I just wanted to solve an exercise that asks me to write a routine to generate a set of even random numbers between 2 to 10.

The problem is when printing, because I want the last number not to be followed by a comma.

This is my code:

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <time.h>

int main()
{
    int i, a, b, c;

    i = a = b = c = 0;

    srand(time(NULL));

    for (i = 2; i <= 10; i++)
    {
        a = rand() % 8 + 2;

        if ((i <= 10) && (a % 2) != 0)
        {   
            continue;
        }
        printf((i < 10) ? "%d, " : "%d\n", a);
    }
    return 0;
}

And these are two execution examples:

4, 4, 2, 8,
2, 8, 6, 4, 2

In one the comma does not appear at the end but in another it does. When debugging I see that the error happens when the last number is odd, because the continue statement causes it to go to the next iteration.

Answer 1

As Retired Ninja has said, there are many unnecessary conditionals that can be avoided. I have revised your code so that a will always generate an even number between 2 and 10, thereby removing the need for the logic you implemented. This is what I have assigned this new a value as:

a = ((rand() % 4) * 2 + 2);

This generates a random value between [0,4], multiplies it by 2, and adds 2, for an integer between 2 and 10, noninclusive. Since your new a is always even, I removed your logic to check whether the number is even.

Revised code:

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <time.h>

int main()
{
    int i, a, b, c;

    i = a = b = c = 0;

    srand(time(NULL));

    for (i = 2; i <= 10; i++)
    {
        a = ((rand() % 4) * 2 + 2);
        printf((i < 10) ? "%d, " : "%d\n", a);
    }
    return 0;
}

Note that this code will always produce 9 numbers, as you have not specified how many values to print each time, just that you need to "write a routine to generate a set of even random numbers between 2 to 10". You can always change the amount of numbers printed by changing the value of i in the for loop. The comma issue, however, is not a problem anymore.

If my solution has helped you, please mark my answer as the correct answer :)