2.2 Selection — order of the conditions

Order matters

Because the first true condition wins, the order of the branches changes the result. For overlapping ranges, put the most specific / strictest condition first, or a looser one will catch a value it shouldn't.

Worked example

// correct: strict first
if (s >= 90) grade = "A";
else if (s >= 80) grade = "B";

// wrong order: 95 would match >= 80 first and become "B"
if (s >= 80) grade = "B";
else if (s >= 90) grade = "A";   // never reached for 95

▶ Try it: these branches are in the wrong order. Run it — 95 prints B, not A. Now swap the two branches so s >= 90 is checked first, and run again — now it prints A.