Which symbol marks the start or end of a flowchart?

• A. Terminator
• B. Process
• C. Input/Output
• D. Decision

Answer: (A)

In flowchart notation, the symbol that marks where the flow begins and ends is called the Terminator. It’s typically drawn as an oval (sometimes shown as a rounded rectangle) to clearly indicate entry and exit points of the process. This helps readers see where the algorithm starts and where it finishes, framing all the steps that come in between. Other common shapes represent different actions: a rectangle for a processing step, a parallelogram for input or output, and a diamond for a decision that creates branches. For example, a flowchart may start with a Terminator labeled Start, then move through processing steps, and end with a Terminator labeled End.