Counting compares for algorithm analysis -

let's i'm analyzing algorithm , want count compares.

assuming structure this:

if (a == b){   ... } else if (a == c) {   ... } else if (a == d) {   ... } else {   ... } 

what's best way count compares?

i'm thinking way go:

int compare = 0  compares++; //will first compare if (a == b){   ... } else if (a == c) {   compares++; //add because got here   ... } else if (a == d) {   compares += 2; //add 2 because of 1 , previous else if   ... } else {   compares += 3; //etc   ... } 

is correct?

yes, it's correct, can write more succintly , more robustly (assuming c/c++/js) using comma operator:

if (compares++, == b){   ... } else if (compares++, == c) {   ... } else if (compares++, == d) {   ... } else {   ... } 

also, if you're using c++ (or language has operator overloading), can use custom objects , override comparison operator , count there. way have alter type of variables , not rest of code.