Thread: Simple Static Method Problem

Good evening all, I am a new member to this forum, it seems like a great place for beginners like me!

I am at the very beginning of my Java education and I am having a little trouble with an exercise involving Static Methods.

This exercise is designed to introduce me to invoking static methods inside a class without instantiating an object. Basically; I am just trying to print out the value of a returned calculation, but I am getting a compile error. I'll paste me code below. Thanks in advance for any guidance

public class MyMath {

public static long square(int a){

long b = (long) (a*a);
return b;
}
}

public class Squares {

public static void main(String[] args) {

MyMath.square(12);
System.out.println(MyMath.square());

}
}

But it was two little changes which anyone could have said in writing and the poster already had a full program. How is that spoonfeeding?

I hope you see what llowe29 did was to combine the best parts of 2 lines of your program into one:

These 2:

MyMath.square(12);
System.out.println(MyMath.square());

Into this 1:

System.out.println(MyMath.square(12));

In the first line of your code, MyMath.square(12); gets the right answer but then discards it, because it isn't stored anywhere. Instead, storing the variable and using it in the print statement would also work:

long result = MyMath.square(12);
System.out.println( result );

But if the variable result is not needed anywhere else, llowe29's version would be preferred.

Similarly, the method square() could be shortened to:

    public static long square(int a)
    {
        return a * a;
    }

I take it I've just been denied the help???? Thanks llowe29 for the help, I didn't get a chance to see it.

For the moderators information, I have tried many variations of the code and Google'd the problem, but as yet was unable to find the help.

At what point is it no longer spoon feeding?

Thamks Greg for demonstrating my point and adding on.

Originally Posted by nortski

I take it I've just been denied the help???? Thanks llowe29 for the help, I didn't get a chance to see it.

For the moderators information, I have tried many variations of the code and Google'd the problem, but as yet was unable to find the help.

At what point is it no longer spoon feeding?

No, not denied, just modified. If my answer loses meaning now that llowe29's code has been removed, please ask additional questions with your updated code.

It's OK, your answer makes perfect sense.

Many thanks

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