Now that we know how `if`, `else if`, `else` work, we can write programs that have multiple outcomes. Programs with multiple outcomes are so common that C++ provides a special statement for it... the `switch` statement! A [`switch`](https://www.codecademy.com/resources/docs/cpp/switch?page_ref=catalog) statement provides an alternative syntax that is easier to read and write. However, you are going to find these less frequently than `if`, `else if`, `else` in the wild. A `switch` statement looks like this: ```cpp switch (grade) { case 9: std::cout << "Freshman\n"; break; case 10: std::cout << "Sophomore\n"; break; case 11: std::cout << "Junior\n"; break; case 12: std::cout << "Senior\n"; break; default: std::cout << "Invalid\n"; break; } ``` - The `switch` keyword initiates the statement and is followed by `()`, which contains the value that each case will compare. In the example, the value or expression of the switch statement is `grade`. One restriction on this expression is that it must evaluate to an integral type (`int`, `char`, `short`, `long`, `long long`, or `enum`). - Inside the block, `{}`, there are multiple cases. - The `case` keyword checks if the expression matches the specified value that comes after it. The value following the first case is `9`. If the value of `grade` is equal to `9`, then the code that follows the `:` would run. - The `break` keyword tells the computer to exit the block and not execute any more code or check any other cases inside the code block. - At the end of each switch statement, there is a `default` statement. If none of the cases are `true`, then the code in the `default` statement will run. It's essentially the `else` part. In the code above, suppose `grade` is equal to `10`, then the output would be "Sophomore". **Note:** Without the `break` keyword at the end of each case, the program would execute the code for the first matching case and *all* subsequent cases, including the `default` code. This behavior is different from `if` / `else` conditional statements which execute only one block of code. [title](link)

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