Introduction to Java Programming and
Data Structures
Thirteenth Edition
Chapter 6
Methods
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Opening Problem
Find the sum of integers from 1 to 10, from 20 to 30, and
from 35 to 45, respectively.
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Problem (1 of 2)
int sum = 0;
for (int i = 1; i <= 10; i++)
sum += i;
[Link]("Sum from 1 to 10 is " + sum);
sum = 0;
for (int i = 20; i <= 30; i++)
sum += i;
[Link]("Sum from 20 to 30 is " + sum);
sum = 0;
for (int i = 35; i <= 45; i++)
sum += i;
[Link]("Sum from 35 to 45 is " + sum);
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Problem (2 of 2)
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Solution
MethodDemo
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Objectives
6.1 To define methods with formal parameters (§6.2).
6.2 To invoke methods with actual parameters (i.e., arguments) (§6.2).
6.3 To define methods with a return value (§6.3).
6.4 To define methods without a return value (§6.4).
6.5 To pass arguments by value (§6.5).
6.6 To develop reusable code that is modular, easy to read, easy to debug, and
easy to maintain (§6.6).
6.7 To write a method that converts hexadecimals to decimals (§6.7).
6.8 To use method overloading and understand ambiguous overloading (§6.8).
6.9 To determine the scope of variables (§6.9).
6.10 To apply the concept of method abstraction in software development
(§6.10).
6.11 To design and implement methods using stepwise refinement (§6.11).
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Defining Methods (1 of 2)
A method is a collection of statements that are grouped
together to perform an operation.
Define a method Invoke a method
int z = max(x, y);
public static int max(int num1, int num2) {
actual parameters
int result; (arguments)
if (num1 > num2)
result = num1;
else
result = num2;
return result;
}
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Defining Methods (2 of 2)
A method is a collection of statements that are grouped
together to perform an operation.
Define a method Invoke a method
return value method formal
modifier type name parameters
int z = max(x, y);
method
public static int max(int num1, int num2) {
header
actual parameters
int result; (arguments)
method
body parameter list
if (num1 > num2)
result = num1;
else
method
result = num2; signature
return result; return value
}
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Method Signature
Method signature is the combination of the method name
and the parameter list.
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Formal Parameters
The variables defined in the method header are known as
formal parameters.
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Actual Parameters
When a method is invoked, you pass a value to the parameter.
This value is referred to as actual parameter or argument.
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Return Value Type
A method may return a value. The returnValueType is the data type of
the value the method returns. If the method does not return a value, the
returnValueType is the keyword void. For example, the
returnValueType in the main method is void.
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Calling Methods (1 of 2)
Testing the max method
This program demonstrates calling a method max to return
the largest of the int values
TestMax
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Calling Methods (2 of 2)
pass the value of i
pass the value of j
public static void main(String[] args) { public static int max(int num1, int num2) {
int i = 5; int result;
int j = 2;
int k = max(i, j); if (num1 > num2)
result = num1;
[Link]( else
"The maximum between " + i + result = num2;
" and " + j + " is " + k);
} return result;
}
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Trace Method Invocation (1 of 10)
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Trace Method Invocation (2 of 10)
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Trace Method Invocation (3 of 10)
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Trace Method Invocation (4 of 10)
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Trace Method Invocation (5 of 10)
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Trace Method Invocation (6 of 10)
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Trace Method Invocation (7 of 10)
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Trace Method Invocation (8 of 10)
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Trace Method Invocation (9 of 10)
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Trace Method Invocation (10 of 10)
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CAUTION
A return statement is required for a value-returning method.
The method shown below in (a) is logically correct, but it
has a compilation error because the Java compiler thinks it
possible that this method does not return any value.
public static int sign(int n) { public static int sign(int n) {
if (n > 0) Should be if (n > 0)
return 1; return 1;
else if (n == 0) else if (n == 0)
return 0; return 0;
else if (n < 0) else
return –1; return –1;
} }
(a) (b)
To fix this problem, delete if (n < 0) in (a), so that the
compiler will see a return statement to be reached
regardless of how the if statement is evaluated.
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Reuse Methods from Other Classes
Note: One of the benefits of methods is for reuse. The max
method can be invoked from any class besides TestMax. If
you create a new class Test, you can invoke the max
method using [Link] (e.g.,
[Link]).
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Call Stacks
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Trace Call Stack (1 of 10)
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Trace Call Stack (2 of 10)
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Trace Call Stack (3 of 10)
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Trace Call Stack (4 of 10)
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Trace Call Stack (5 of 10)
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Trace Call Stack (6 of 10)
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Trace Call Stack (7 of 10)
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Trace Call Stack (8 of 10)
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Trace Call Stack (9 of 10)
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Trace Call Stack (10 of 10)
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void Method Example
This type of method does not return a value. The method
performs some actions.
TestVoidMethod
TestReturnGradeMethod
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Passing Parameters
public static void nPrintln(String message, int n) {
for (int i = 0; i < n; i++)
[Link](message);
}
Suppose you invoke the method using
nPrintln(“Welcome to Java”, 5);
What is the output?
Suppose you invoke the method using
nPrintln(“Computer Science”, 15);
What is the output?
Can you invoke the method using
nPrintln(15, “Computer Science”);
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Pass by Value (1 of 3)
This program demonstrates passing values to the methods.
Increment
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Pass by Value (2 of 3)
Testing Pass by value
This program demonstrates passing values to the methods.
TestPassByValue
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Pass by Value (3 of 3)
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Scope of Local Variables (1 of 6)
A local variable: a variable defined inside a method.
Scope: the part of the program where the variable can be
referenced.
The scope of a local variable starts from its declaration and
continues to the end of the block that contains the variable.
A local variable must be declared before it can be used.
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Scope of Local Variables (2 of 6)
You can declare a local variable with the same name
multiple times in different non-nesting blocks in a method,
but you cannot declare a local variable twice in nested
blocks.
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Scope of Local Variables (3 of 6)
A variable declared in the initial action part of a for loop
header has its scope in the entire loop. But a variable
declared inside a for loop body has its scope limited in the
loop body from its declaration and to the end of the block
that contains the variable.
public static void method1() {
.
.
for (int i = 1; i < 10; i++) {
.
The scope of i .
int j;
.
The scope of j .
.
}
}
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Scope of Local Variables (4 of 6)
It is fine to declare i in two It is wrong to declare i in
non-nesting blocks two nesting blocks
public static void method1() { public static void method2() {
int x = 1;
int y = 1; int i = 1;
int sum = 0;
for (int i = 1; i < 10; i++) {
x += i; for (int i = 1; i < 10; i++) {
} sum += i;
}
for (int i = 1; i < 10; i++) {
y += i; }
}
}
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Scope of Local Variables (5 of 6)
// Fine with no errors
public static void correctMethod() {
int x = 1;
int y = 1;
// i is declared
for (int i = 1; i < 10; i++) {
x += i;
}
// i is declared again
for (int i = 1; i < 10; i++) {
y += i;
}
}
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Scope of Local Variables (6 of 6)
// With errors
public static void incorrectMethod() {
int x = 1;
int y = 1;
for (int i = 1; i < 10; i++) {
int x = 0;
x += i;
}
}
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Benefits of Methods
• Write a method once and reuse it anywhere.
• Information hiding. Hide the implementation from the
user.
• Reduce complexity.
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Copyright
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and materials from it should never be made available to students
except by instructors using the accompanying text in their
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restrictions and to honor the intended pedagogical purposes and
the needs of other instructors who rely on these materials.
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