Lecture-11

By
Dr. Bharati Mishra
Methods
Motivation
• Suppose we want to write a program to find the
sum of integers
• from 1 to 10
• from 20 to 30
• from 35 to 45
Naïve Solution
• Obvious solution

int sum = 0;
for (int i = 1; i <= 10; i++)
sum += i;
System.out.println("Sum from 1 to 10 is " + sum);

sum = 0;
for (int i = 20; i <= 30; i++)
sum += i;
System.out.println("Sum from 20 to 30 is " + sum);

sum = 0;
for (int i = 35; i <= 45; i++)
sum += i;
System.out.println("Sum from 35 to 45 is " + sum);
Refactor
• What about some refactoring?

int sum = 0;
for (int i = 1x ; i <= 10;
y i++)
sum += i;
x to 10
System.out.println("Sum from 1 y is " + sum);

sum = 0;
x
for (int i = 20; y
i <= 30; i++)
sum += i;
x to 30
System.out.println("Sum from 20 y is " + sum);

sum = 0;
x
for (int i = 35; y
i <= 45; i++)
sum += i;
y is " + sum);
x to 45
System.out.println("Sum from 35
Solution
• A better approach is to use a method
name
modifier output input

public static int sum(int x, int y)

{
int sum = 0;
Method for (int i = x; i <= y; i++)
body
sum += i;
return sum;
}
Invoking a Method

• First, a method should be defined

• Then we can use the method
• i.e. calling or invoking a method

public static void main(String[] args) {

int total1 = sum(1, 10);
int total2= sum(20, 30);
int total3 = sum(35, 45);
int total4 = sum(35,1000);
}
Invoking a Method

• When calling a method within the same class, we

directly call the method

public class TestClass{

public static void main(String[] args) {
int total1 = sum(1, 10);
} calling
//---------------------------------------------- directly
public static int sum(int x, int y)
{
int sum = 0;
for (int i = x; i <= y; i++)
sum += i;
return sum;
}
}
Invoking a Method

• When calling a method from another class, use

class name if a static method
public class AnotherClass{
public static int sum(int x, int y)
{
int sum = 0;
for (int i = x; i <= y; i++)
sum += i;
return sum;
}
}

public class TestClass{

public static void main(String[] args) {
int total1 = AnotherClass .sum(1, 10);
} Class
} name
Invoking a Method

• When calling a method from another class, use

class name if a static method
public class AnotherClass{
public int sum(int x, int y)
{
int sum = 0;
for (int i = x; i <= y; i++)
sum += i;
return sum;
}
}
public class TestClass{
public static void main(String[] args) {
AnotherClass a = new AnotherClass();
int total1 = a.sum(1, 10);
} Instance
} name
So…

• Method is
• A collection of statements grouped together to
perform an operation
• To use a method
• We invoke the method
• E.g. int result = sum(1,10);
Method Signature

• Method signature
• Combination of the method name and the parameter
list
Method header

signature

public static int sum(int x, int y)

{
int sum = 0;
for (int i = x; i <= y; i++)
sum += i;
return sum;
}
Parameters

Formal parameter
• Parameters
public static int sum(int x, int y)
{
int sum = 0;
for (int i = x; i <= y; i++)
sum += i;
return sum;
}
public static void main(String[] args)
{
int total1 = sum(1, 10);
} Actual parameter
Parameters

• Formal parameters:
• Variables defined in the method header
• Actual parameters:
• When a method is invoked, you pass a value to
the parameter. This value is referred to as
actual parameter or argument.
Output

• If the method does not return a value, the “return

type” is the keyword void.
• It means “nothing” will be returned
• A method may return a value:
• Use return keyword to return the value…
• E.g. return sum;
• “return” keyword is required if return type is anything
other than void
Tip

• A return statement is not required for a void

method.
• return still can be used for terminating the method
• This is not often done
Programming Style

• Use “return” only once in a method!

• Easier to debug and trace
public int max(int x, int y)
{
public int max(int x, int y) int result= 0;
{
if (x > y) if(x > y)
return x; result = x;
else else
return y; result = y;
}
return result;
Two exit points
}
One exit point:
This is better
Program
• This program demonstrates calling a method max
to return the largest value among a set of values.

TestMax
Program
• Passing arguments

public static void main(String[] args) public static int max(int x, int y)
{ {
int i = 5; int result= 0;
int j = 2;
int k = max(i, j); if(x > y)
} result = x;
else
result = y;

return result;
}
Program Trace

i is now 5

public static void main(String[] args) public static int max(int x, int y)
{ {
int i = 5; int result= 0;
int j = 2;
int k = max(i, j); if(x > y)
} result = x;
else
result = y;

return result;
}
Program Trace

j is now 2

public static void main(String[] args) Public static int max(int x, int y)
{ {
int i = 5; int result= 0;
int j = 2;
int k = max(i, j); if(x > y)
} result = x;
else
result = y;

return result;
}
Program Trace

invoke method max(i,j)

public static void main(String[] args) public static int max(int x, int y)
{ {
int i = 5; int result= 0;
int j = 2;
int k = max(i, j); if(x > y)
} result = x;
else
result = y;

return result;
}
Program Trace

pass the value of i to x

pass the value of j to y

public static void main(String[] args) Public static int max(int x, int y)
{ {
int i = 5; int result= 0;
int j = 2;
int k = max(i, j); if(x > y)
} result = x;
else
result = y;

return result;
}
Program Trace

Declare variable result

public static void main(String[] args) Public static int max(int x, int y)
{ {
int i = 5; int result= 0;
int j = 2;
int k = max(i, j); if(x > y)
} result = x;
else
result = y;

return result;
}
Program Trace

(x > y) is true because (5 > 2)

public static void main(String[] args) Public static int max(int x, int y)
{ {
int i = 5; int result= 0;
int j = 2;
int k = max(i, j); if(x > y)
} result = x;
else
result = y;

return result;
}
Program Trace

result is now 5

public static void main(String[] args) Public static int max(int x, int y)
{ {
int i = 5; int result= 0;
int j = 2;
int k = max(i, j); if(x > y)
} result = x;
else
result = y;

return result;
}
Program Trace

return result which is 5

public static void main(String[] args) Public static int max(int x, int y)
{ {
int i = 5; int result= 0;
int j = 2;
int k = max(i, j); if(x > y)
} result = x;
else
result = y;

return result;
}
Program Trace

return max(i, j) and assign the

return value to k

public static void main(String[] args) Public static int max(int x, int y)
{ {
int i = 5; int result= 0;
int j = 2;
int k = max(i, j); if(x > y)
} result = x;
else
result = y;

return result;
}
Program Trace

finished

public static void main(String[] args) Public static int max(int x, int y)
{ {
int i = 5; int result= 0;
int j = 2;
int k = max(i, j); if(x > y)
} result = x;
else
result = y;

return result;
}
Modularizing Code

• Methods reduce redundant coding and enable

code reuse.
• Methods modularize code and improve the quality
of the program.

PrimeNumberMethod
Program

• Write a method that converts a decimal integer to

a hexadecimal. Write another method to convert
decimal to hexadecimal.

Decimal2HexConversion
Program Explained

• Converting a decimal number x (e.g. 74) into a

hexadecimal number (e.g. 4A)
1. Divide x by 16
2. Save remainder and quotient
3. Repeat step 1 and 2 until quotient is 0
4. Form the hexadecimal number from remainders (the
most recent remainder will be the leftmost digit)
Memory & Methods
Stack
• A data structure
• Last in, first out (LIFO)
• Two basic operation
• Pop
• Push
Push Pop

Z
Y
x
Memory
• How memory is arranged
1. Registers
• Inside the processor, very limited, you have no direct access
2. RAM
• Stack memory
• Inside RAM, very fast, lifetime of objects should be known, all
primitive variables placed here
• Heap memory
• Inside RAM, reference values placed here
3. Constant values
• Will be directly replaced in code
Revisiting Program

• Each time a method is called, the system stores

parameters and variables in stack memory.

Public static int max(int x, int y) public static void main(String[] args)
{ {
int result= 0; int i = 5;
int j = 2;
if(x > y) int k = max(i, j);
result = x; }
else
result = y;

return result;
}
Memory
• How memory is managed?

Space
Space required for
required for max
max method:
method: Result: 5
x:5 x:5
y:2 y:2

Space Space Space Space Stack

required for required for required for required for is empty
main method: main method: main method: main method:
k: k: k: k: 5
i:5 i:5 i:5 i:5
j:2 j:2 j:2 j:2
Pass by Reference

• What about reference types?

• E.g. Random r = new Random();

Actual Object

…
Space
required for
main
method:
r
(reference)
Heap Memory
Stack Memory
Pass by Reference

• What about reference types?

• E.g. Random r = new Random();

Space
required for
test
method: Actual Object
x
…
Space
required for
main
method:
r
(reference)
Heap Memory
Stack Memory
Passing Arguments

• If primitive types are passed

• Value is passed
• Changes inside method will not affect the variable
outside the method
• If a reference type is passed
• Reference is passed (address of memory location
containing actual object)
• Changes inside the method will affect the variable
Method Overload
Method Overload

• Different versions of the same method accepting

different arguments

TestMethodOverloading
Tip

• Method overload is only based on input

arguments
• Method overload can not be based on different
output values
• Method overload cannot be based on different
modifiers
Method Overload

• Sometimes there may be two or more possible

matches for an invocation of a method, but the
compiler cannot determine the most specific
match.
• This is referred to as ambiguous invocation.
Ambiguous invocation is a compilation error.
Ambiguous invocation
public class AmbiguousOverloading {
public static void main(String[] args) {
System.out.println(max(1, 2));
}

public static double max(int num1, double num2) {

double result = 0;
if (num1 > num2)
result = num1;
else
result = num2;
return result;
}

public static double max(double num1, int num2) {

double result = 0;
if (num1 > num2)
result = num1;
else
result = num2;
return result;
}
}
Variable Scope
Variable Scope

• Scope:
• Part of the program where the variable can be
referenced.
• A local variable:
• A variable defined inside a method.
• The scope of a local variable starts from its
declaration and continues to the end of the block
that contains the variable.
Variable Scope

• A variable declared in the initial action part of a

for loop has its scope in the entire loop.
• 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.
Variable Scope

• You can declare a local variable with the same

name multiple times in different non-nesting
blocks in a method
• You cannot declare a local variable twice in
nested blocks.
Variable Scope

• A variable declared in a method

Method Abstraction
Abstraction

• You can think of the method body as a black box

that contains the detailed implementation for
the method.
Method Benefits

• Write a method once and reuse it anywhere.

• Hide the implementation from the user.
• Change it without affecting the user
• Reduce complexity.
Method Benefits

• Example
• Math class provides many methods
• Trigonometric Methods
• Exponent Methods
• Rounding Methods
• min, max, abs, and random Methods
Stepwise Refinement

• When writing a large program, you can use the

“divide and conquer” strategy, also known as
stepwise refinement, to decompose it into
sub-problems.
• The sub-problems can be further decomposed
into smaller, more manageable problems.
Task 1-1
Task 1
Task 1-2
Main Task Task 2

Task 3
Stepwise Refinement

• An example to demonstrate the stepwise

refinement approach:

PrintCalendar
Stepwise Refinement
Stepwise Refinement
Stepwise Refinement
Stepwise Refinement
Stepwise Refinement
Stepwise Refinement
Top Down Design

• Top-down approach is to implement one method

in the structure chart at a time from the “top to
the bottom”.
• Implement the main method first and then use a
stub for each one of the methods.
• Stubs can be used for the methods waiting to be
implemented.
• A stub is a simple but incomplete version of a
method.
• The use of stubs enables you to test invoking the
method from a caller.

A Skeleton for printCalendar

Bottom Up Design

• Bottom-up approach is to implement one method

in the structure chart at a time from the “bottom
to the top”.
• For each method implemented, write a test
program to test it.
Comparison

• Both top-down and bottom-up methods are fine.

• Both approaches implement the methods
incrementally and help to isolate programming
errors and makes debugging easy.
• Sometimes, they can be used together.
Program Revisited

• An example to demonstrate the stepwise

refinement approach:

PrintCalendar
Program

• As introduced before, each character has a

unique Unicode between 0 and FFFF in
hexadecimal (65535 in decimal). To generate a
random character is to generate a random
integer between 0 and 65535. The Unicode for
lowercase letters are consecutive integers
starting from the Unicode for 'a', then for 'b', 'c',
..., and 'z'. A random character between any two
characters ch1 and ch2 with ch1 < ch2 can be
generated as follows:

Random r = new Random();

char x = ch1 + r.nextInt(ch2 – ch1 + 1)
Program

• Random character generator

RandomCharacter TestRandomCharacter