What is the definition of a logic error?

A logic error is defined as an error that arises from incorrect logic in a program, causing it to execute without crashing but producing unexpected or incorrect results. This type of error can be particularly challenging to identify because the code compiles and runs; however, the output does not match the intended functionality or expected behavior due to flaws in how the algorithm or instructions were structured.

For example, if a program is designed to calculate the average of several numbers but mistakenly sums all the numbers and divides by the wrong count, it technically runs and produces output, but that output is incorrect based on the intended logic of averaging. This highlights the subtle yet impactful nature of logic errors, which can stem from miscalculations, misinterpretations of the problem, or incorrect assumptions made during coding.

In contrast, other types of errors mentioned involve different aspects: syntax errors prevent the code from running at all due to incorrect phrasing, runtime errors occur when the program fails during execution due to issues like resource access, and data type mismatches affect the ability to correctly process the data. Logic errors are unique in that they require thorough testing and verification to uncover because the program is syntactically correct and does not crash.