J AVA F UNCTIONS /M ETHODS

‣ Functions
‣ Access modifiers
‣ Javadoc comments for methods
‣ Variable scope and Parameter
passing
h t t p : / / ho r st m a n n . c o m / b j l o 1/ i n de x . h t m l ‣ Dry-running a class
 J AVA F UNCTIONS /M ETHODS

‣ Functions
‣ Access modifiers
‣ Javadoc comments for methods
‣ Variable scope and Parameter
passing
h t t p : / / ho r st m a n n . c o m / b j l o 1/ i n de x . h t m l ‣ Dry-running a class
 Functions

A Java function is a static method.

• May require 0 or more arguments
• May return 0 or 1 value (NOT print!)
• May perform other operation on top of what
the function primarily computes.

Benefits Input
• Allows for program modularization
• Allows for code reuse
• Allows for code sharing
• Effective code management and
maintenance
Function f

Output
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 A closer look at a Java static method aka function

Access
Return Method Formal
modifier
type name parameters

public static boolean isPrime(int num) {

for(int i = 2; i*i < num; i++) {
if (num % i == 0) {
Method
return false;
body
}
}
return true;
}

Return statements
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 Java class structure – A Java Library!

Imports
public class ABC
{
public static int fOne(...) { // body }
public static String fTwo(...) { // body }
.
.
.
public static double fM(...) { // body }
public static void main(String[] args) {
.
.
.
}
}

• No method inside another method body! 5

Creating your own static method – a function

• Give the method an appropriate name – must

be meaningful
• Declare input parameters for the method
(separated by comma)
• Specify the return type
• Implement the body of your function
• Return the value to be returned. Each path
that the execution of your method may take
MUST end with a return statement

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 Example 1 – A void function
❑ This function does not return a value but performs some
functionality
Write a Java function
public class Lib that displays the
{ following menu:
public static void displayMenu() { 1. Multiplication
System.out.printf(“1. Multiplication\n”); 2. Division
System.out.printf(“2. Division\n”); 3. Addition
System.out.printf(“3. Addition\n”); 4. Subtraction
System.out.printf(“4. Subtraction\n”); 5. Quit
System.out.printf(“5. Quit\n”);
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
Lib.displayMenu(); // invocation
}
}

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 Example 1 – A void function with proper
implementation
❑ All functions/methods must have Javadoc comments.
❑ - it includes a description of what the method does
❑ - it describes what the formal parameters are
❑ - it describes what is returned (if any) by the method

public class Lib { • void means there is no

/** value returned, so no
* Method to display the menu need to explain return
*/ type
public static void displayMenu() { • Method has no
System.out.printf(“1. Multiplication\n”); parameters, so no need
System.out.printf(“2. Division\n”); to explain parameters
System.out.printf(“3. Addition\n”); • So only the purpose of
System.out.printf(“4. Subtraction\n”); the method is
System.out.printf(“5. Quit\n”); explained in the
} comment
}
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 Example 2 – A boolean function
❑ This function returns either true or false

Write a Java function

public class Lib that returns true if the
{ given character is a
public static boolean isVowel(char ch) { vowel or not.
String vowels = “AaEeIiOoUu”;
boolean result = vowels.indexOf(ch) >= 0;
return result;
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
boolean f = Lib.isVowel(‘V’); //invocation
}
}

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Example 2 – A boolean function with proper
implementation

public class Lib {

/**
* Checks if a given character is a vowel.
*
* @param ch a character to check if it is a vowel.
* @return true if the given character is a vowel.
*/
public static boolean isVowel(char ch) {
String vowel = “AaEeIiOoUu”;
boolean result = vowel.indexOf(ch) >= 0;
return result;
}
}

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 Example 3 – A number function
❑ This function returns an integer or double value

public class Lib

Write a Java function
{
that returns the largest
public static int largestFactor(int N) {
factor of an integer N
for (int i = N/2; i >= 2; i--) {
other than 1 and N
if (N % i == 0) {
itself.
return i; // found a factor between 2 and N/2

}
}
return N; // N is prime!
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
int factor = Lib.largestFactor(1000);
}
}

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 J AVA F UNCTIONS /M ETHODS

‣ Functions
‣ Access modifiers
‣ Javadoc comments for methods
‣ Variable scope and Parameter
passing
h t t p : / / ho r st m a n n . c o m / b j l o 1/ i n de x . h t m l ‣ Dry-running a class
 Example 3 – A number function with
implementation
public class Lib {
/**
* Method to compute the largest factor of a given integer other
* than 1 and N.
*
* @param N the integer to compute the largest factor of.
* @return the largest factor of the given integer, or N itself
* if N is prime
*/
public static int largestFactor(int N) {
⋮
}
}

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 Example 4 – A String function
❑ This function returns a String value

public static String dayToString(int day) {

Write a Java function
String result = “”;
that returns the string
if (day == 0 || day == 6) {
“Weekday” or “Weekend”
result = “Weekend”;
for a day given as a
}
number.
else {

result = “Weekday”;

return result;

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Calling functions from another class

public class Another

{
public static void main(String[] args) {
int x = 23456;
Lib.displayMenu();
boolean f = Lib.isVowel(‘V’);
int pf = Lib.largestFactor(x);
String today = Lib.dayToString(5);
}
}

We use the class name as

the methods are static.

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POP QUIZ

1. Write a Java method that given a string returns the

string with all the vowels removed.
If given “Tallman”, the method returns “Tllmn”

2. Write a Java method that given two strings of

equal length will return the number of positions in
which the two strings differ.

If given “Tallman” and “Tillmen”, the method

should return 2
 J AVA F UNCTIONS /M ETHODS

‣ Functions
‣ Access modifiers
‣ Javadoc comments for methods
‣ Variable scope and Parameter
passing
h t t p : / / ho r st m a n n . c o m / b j l o 1/ i n de x . h t m l ‣ Dry-running a class
Access Modifiers

• public: means method can be invoked outside

the class.
• private: means method cannot be invoked
outside the class – only from within the
class.
➢ Only one of public and private can be
specified, not both.
• static: means method belongs to the class –
it’s a function. Class name is to be used
for invoking the method.
• final means that method cannot be
overridden/adapted by subclasses.

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 J AVA F UNCTIONS /M ETHODS

‣ Functions
‣ Access modifiers
‣ Javadoc comments for methods
‣ Local variables and Formal
parameters
h t t p : / / ho r st m a n n . c o m / b j l o 1/ i n de x . h t m l ‣ Variable scope and Parameter
passing
‣ Dry-running a class
Local variables and formal parameters

public class MyLib {

public static double average(int num1, int num2) {
int sum = num1 + num2;
double mean sum / 2.0;
return mean;
}
}

• Formal parameters: variables used to hold values passed

to the method. It is considered bad practice for the
method to change values held by formal parameters
• Local variables: variables declared within the method
and used by the method for computations.
• Both formal parameters and local variables are
destroyed when the method/function is terminated.
For the function average:
• Formal parameters: num1, num2
• Local variables: sum, mean
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Coding Bat

❑ Visit the website https://codingbat.com/java

❑ Create an account
❑ Work on the Warmup-1, Warmup-2, Logic-1, String-1,
problems ---- ALL Problems

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 J AVA F UNCTIONS /M ETHODS

‣ Functions
‣ Access modifiers
‣ Javadoc comments for methods
‣ Variable scope and Parameter
passing
h t t p : / / ho r st m a n n . c o m / b j l o 1/ i n de x . h t m l ‣ Dry-running a class
Variable scope

import java.util.Scanner;
public class MyLib {
public static void main(String[] args) {...}
public static int max(int num1, int num2) { int i;... }
public static String myst(String i) { int num1; ...}
}

• Variables declared inside a method/function are not visible in

other methods/functions.
• Variables declared in a class, outside all other
methods/functions, are visible to all methods / functions

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 Variable scope
public class Example {
int x;
public void swap(int x, int y) {
int temp = x;
}
public static int max(int num1, int num2) {
int m = num1;
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
int x = 5;
for(int y = 1; y<=10; y++) {
int w = 5;
} Arrows show where
while (x <= 200) { visibility of a variable
int w = 6; ends.
}

}
}
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 What is the output?
public class Example {
public void swap(int x, int y) {
int temp = x;
x = y;
y = temp;
}
public static int max(int num1, int num2) {
int m = num1;
if (num2 > m ) { m = num2; } return m;
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
int x = 5; int t = 7;
System.out.printf(“x = %d t = %d\n”, x, t);
Example test = new Example(); // magic!
test.swap(x, t);
System.out.printf(“x = %d t = %d\n”, x, t);
System.out.printf(“Max = %d\n”, Example.max(x, t));
}
}
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 J AVA F UNCTIONS /M ETHODS

‣ Functions
‣ Access modifiers
‣ Javadoc comments for methods
‣ Variable scope and Parameter
passing
h t t p : / / ho r st m a n n . c o m / b j l o 1/ i n de x . h t m l ‣ Dry-running a class
 Executing a Java class
❑ Execution starts in the main method
❑ If there is no main method, a Java class can not be
executed.
main

x t args
5 7

test 123

123
test: Example

Console

x = 5, t = 7
Object diagram
_
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 Executing a Java class…

test.swap

temp ? x 5

y 7

Console

x = 5, t = 7
_
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 Executing a Java class…

test.swap

temp 5 x 5

y 7

Console

x = 5, t = 7
_
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 Executing a Java class…

test.swap

temp 5 x 7

y 7

Console

x = 5, t = 7
_
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 Executing a Java class…

test.swap

temp 5 x 7

y 5

Console

x = 5, t = 7
_
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 Executing a Java class…
❑ Method swap terminates and its box/frame is deleted

test.swap

temp 5 x 7

y 5

❑ Controls returns to the calling method…which is main

Console

x = 5, t = 7
x = 5, t = 7
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 What is the output?
public class Example2 {
public void changeXtox(String s) {
String t = “”;
for(int i = 0; i < s.length(); i++) {
if (s.charAt(i) == ‘X’) { t = t + ‘x’;}
else { t = t + s.charAt(i);}
}
}
public static String middle(String s, int num) {
int mid = s.length / 2
return (mid % 2 ==0)? s.substring(mid-1, mid+num+1) :
s.substring(mid, mid+num+1);
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
String str = “Xmen live in the X-dimension”;
Example2 test = new Example2(); // magic!
test.changeXtox(str);
System.out.printf(“str = %s\n”, str);
System.out.printf(“mid = %s\n”, Example.middle(str, 2));
}
}
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 How arguments are passed to methods in Java
Arguments are passed-by-value in Java,
regardless of whether the value is an
address/reference to an object or its just a
value (primitive)

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Method signature
❑ Used to differentiate methods – different signatures implies
different methods.
❑ Is made up of method name and data types of formal
parameters, in the order they appear in the declaration
❑ This allows us to reuse a method name!

public static boolean isPrimeNumber( int n) { … }

public static int gcd(int a, int b) { … }
public static char randomChar(String s) { … }
public static void main(String[] args) { … }
public static double gcd(long a, long b) { … }

Signatures:
isPrimeNumber( int) Same method name
gcd(int, int)  overloaded method BUT different
randomChar(String) signatures!
main(String[])
gcd(long , long)  overloaded method

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 Summary

▪ Anatomy of a Java method

▪ Access modifiers: public, private, static, and final
▪ Functions are an extremely useful construct
▪ They promote code reuse
▪ They facilitate code modularization
▪ Dry running a Java class – class/method diagrams
▪ Method signatures
▪ Local variables and formal parameters
▪ Pass-by-value technique in Java for method arguments

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