#include <iostream>
#include <string>
#include <cassert>

using namespace std;


int tally(const string a[], int n, string target);
// Return the number of strings in the array that are equal to target.

int tally(const string a[], int n, string target)
{
    int result;

    if (n < 0)
    {
        result = -1;
        return result;
    }
    
    else if (n==0)
    {
        result = 0;    
        return result;
    }

    else
        int result = 0;
        for (int i=0; i<n; i++)
        {
            if (target == a[i])
                result += 1;
            else
                result;
        }
            return result;


}
int findFirst(const string a[], int n, string target);

int findFirst(const string a[], int n, string target)

// Return the index of the first string in the array that is equal to target.
// Return -1 if there is no such string.

{
    int result = -1;

    if (n <= 0)
        return result;
    else
        for (int i=0; i<n; i++)
        {
            if (a[i] == target)
                result = i;
                break;
                      
        }
            return result;
}
int main()
{
    string a[6] = { "lois", "peter", "", "meg", "", "meg" };
     assert(tally(a,6,"meg") == 2);
     //  assert(tally(a,6,"") == 2);
     // assert(tally(a,6,"chris") == 0);
    assert(tally(a,0,"lois") == 0);
    
    
    // assert(findFirst(a,6,"meg") == 3);
    // assert(findFirst(a,3,"meg") == -1);

    cout << "All tests succeeded" << endl;
}

assert(tally(a,6,"meg") == 2)

assert(tally(a,6,"chris") == 0;
assert(tally(a,6,"") == 2);

<stripped for simplicity>

// Return the number of strings in the array that are equal to target.
int tally(const string a[], int n, string target)
{
    int result = 0; // << C/C++ value is not preset - programmer must fix

    if (n < 0)
    {
        result = -1;
        //return result; // << code to reduce these
    }
    
    else if (n==0)
    {
        result = 0;    
        //return result;
    }

    else
        //int result = 0; << Redeclared - remove
        for (int i=0; i<n; i++)
        {
            if (target == a[i])
                result += 1; // << result++ is more readable
            else
                result;
        }
            return result; //<< this is not the same as the one redeclared..
                                            // {} is called scoping - change scope - change reference


}
int findFirst(const string a[], int n, string target);

int findFirst(const string a[], int n, string target)

int main()
{
    string a[6] = { "lois", "peter", "", "meg", "", "meg" };

     assert(tally(a,6,"meg") == 2);

    cout << "All tests succeeded" << endl;
}

int main(){
  // start to type inside the brackets,
  cout << "Typed the way I suggested";

}