Question

In pseudocode, what does the symbol || represent?

Answer 1

In pseudocode, || most commonly denotes the logical OR operator (Boolean disjunction).
- A || B is true if A is true, or B is true, or both are true.

Truth table:
- false || false = false
- false || true = true
- true || false = true
- true || true = true

Example:
- if (x > 0 || y > 0) then … // executes when x>0 or y>0 (or both)

Notes:
- Some texts use the word or or the symbol ∨ instead of ||.
- In some programming languages (C, Java, JavaScript) || is a short‑circuiting OR; in pseudocode you should clarify whether short‑circuit evaluation is assumed.
- In other contexts (notably SQL or some languages), || can mean string concatenation, so check the context if unsure.