Thread: Help with classes & instance methods

Hi everyone,

Im still fairly new to java and i've gotten stuck on a small part of exercise. Could anybody help me? Heres the question relating to this section:

Write a class to encapsulate the notion of a rectangle. A rectangle is represented by two integers representing its length and height, respectively. As well as its instance variables, the class should have instance methods called get() and isSquare(). Method get initialises the instance variables with, respectively, a length and height read from the keyboard. Method isSquare returns a boolean corresponding to whether this rectangle is a square or not. There is no need to write a constructor.

It's probably really simple but i'm just a bit unsure as to what to write in the isSquare method below.

This is what i have so far

public class Rectangle
{
	private int length;
	private int height;
 
	public void get()
	{
		System.out.println("Please enter length and height");
		int l = Integer.parseInt(Console.readToken());
		int h = Integer.parseInt(Console.readToken());
 
	}
 
	public static boolean isSquare(Rectangle r)
	{
		???
	}
}

Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks

So you're saying i should have something like this:

 
public static boolean isSquare(Rectangle r)
{
         if(l==h)
         {
                System.out.println("Square");
                return true;
          }
         else
                return false;
}

What im also wondering is do I have the correct parameter in isSquare?

do I have the correct parameter in isSquare?

That would depend on how you want to use the method. Most likely you want to determine if a Rectangle is a square.
If there are other shapes that you want to test, then the parameter might be changed to allow testing of the other shape.

About your code: Where are the variables: l and h defined? Are they variables in the Rectangle object passed to the method?

Yes its just to determine if a rectangle is a square. There are no other shapes involved in the question.
I dont think I defined them, I just created them in the get() method that would be read from the user, giving the height and length of the rectangle.

i would suggest its pretty much the same concept
minus the multiple returns

public boolean isSquare(Rectangle r)
{
boolean flag = false;
if(r.getLength() == r.getHeight())
{
flag = true;
}
return flag;
}

Or

public boolean isSquare(Rectangle r)
{
   return (r.getLength() == r.getHeight());
}

Thanks for the help I solved it in the end, taking into account what you all suggested. Here's the solution for those interested

class Rectangle
{
	private int length;
	private int height;
 
	public void get()
	{
		System.out.println("Enter Length and height:");
		length = Console.readInt();
		height = Console.readInt();
	}
 
	public boolean isSquare()
	{
		if(length==height)
		{
			System.out.println("Square");
			return true;
		}
		else
		{
			System.out.println("Not a square");
			return false;
		}
	}
}

An unusual construct: not to initialize the member variables until get() is called. And ALWAYS to prompt for the sizes every time get() is called. Normally the sizes would be determined outside of the class and passed to the class in its constructor.

I think this class needs a redesign.

But the question stated that there is no need to create a constructor. And the whole point of the get() method is to prompt for sizes, because part (ii) of the question is to use this class in a program which will read a series of lines, each containing the length and height of a rectangle, and print out the number of squares.

An unusual construct: not to initialize the member variables until get() is called.

I dont quite understand what you mean. Do you mean i should have something like this:

 
public int getLength()
{
        return length;
}
 
public int getHeight()
{
       return height;
}

Oh I see what you mean now, sorry. After doing part (ii), I had to remove the I/O from the class anyway so I understand now Thanks

Instead of making a seperate thread for a similar question I thought id post it here. Could anybody explain what a default constructor is? Heres the question:

Write a class called Item to represent an item in a supplier’s stock. Each item has a name (which is a single word), a stock level (an integer), and a price (a double). Include the following methods:

• A method which reads an item from a single line of input consisting of the item’s name, the stock level, and the price in that order. A typical line looks like:

toaster 7 23.50

• A method which prints the item’s name.

• A method buyIn(int n) which increases the stock level for this item by n units (assume n>0).

• A method sell(int n) which reduces the stock level for this item by n items (assume n>0). If the stock level is less than n initially, then no action is taken. Return a boolean value to indicate whether or not the stock was reduced.

• A method value which returns the total value of the stock for this item (price times stock level).

• A constructor which creates an item with a given name, stock level, and price.

• A default constructor (i.e. one without parameters)


Im just unsure as to what to do for this default constructor part. Heres what I have so far:

class Item
{
	private String name;
	private int stock;
	private double price;
 
	public void readItem()
	{
		name = Console.readToken();
		stock = Integer.parseInt(Console.readToken());
		price = Double.parseDouble(Console.readToken());
	}
 
	public void printName()
	{
		System.out.println(name);
	}
 
	public void buyIn(int n)
	{
		stock = stock + n;
	}
 
	public boolean sell(int n)
	{
		if(stock<n)
		{
			return true;
		}
		else
		{
			stock = stock-n;
			return false;
		}
	}
 
	int value()
	{
		return stock;
	}
 
	Item(String n, int s, double p)
	{
		name = n;
		stock = s;
		price = p;
	}
}

If a constructor has no arguments, then it has no values from the user to store into the classes member variables.
Its up to the programmer that defines that constructor to put values into those member variables. Its a design decision that depends on the class and application.

I don't really agree with how you are getting the length and width of the rectangle here. Java is an object-oriented programming language. So I am wondering, why you aren't using a constructor to create the rectangles?

Hunter

Originally Posted by mcmillhj

I don't really agree with how you are getting the length and width of the rectangle here. Java is an object-oriented programming language. So I am wondering, why you aren't using a constructor to create the rectangles?

Hunter

Well i would have, but the question stated that no constructor is needed

Was this an assignment for a class?


Hunter