Chapter 3

Selections
3.1 Introduction
• Java provides selections that let you choose actions with two or more alternative
courses.
• Selection statements use conditions. Conditions are Boolean expressions.
• Java has several types of selection statements:
o if Statements, if … else statements, nested if statements
o switch Statements
o Conditional Expressions

3.2 boolean Data Type

• Often in a program you need to compare two values, such as whether i is greater than
j. Java provides six relational operators (also known as comparison operators) that
can be used to compare two values. The result of the comparison is a Boolean value:
true or false.

TABLE 3.1 Relational Operators

Java Mathematics Name Example Result

Operator Symbol (radius is 5)

< < less than radius < 0 false

<= ≤ less than or equal to radius <= 0 false
> > greater than radius > 0 true
>= ≥ greater than or equal to radius >= 0 true
== = equal to radius == 0 false
!= ≠ not equal to radius != 0 true

• Examples
System.out.println(1 < 2); // Displays true

boolean b = (1 > 2);

System.out.println("b is " + b); // Displays b is false

CMPS161 Class Notes (Chap 03) Page 1 /23 Dr. Kuo-pao Yang
Problem: A Simple Math Learning Tool
• This example creates a program to let a first grader practice additions. The program
randomly generates two single-digit integers number1 and number2 and displays a
question such as “What is 7 + 9?” to the student. After the student types the answer,
the program displays a message to indicate whether the answer is true or false.
• LISTINT 3.1 AdditionQuiz.java

import java.util.Scanner;

public class AdditionQuiz {

public static void main(String[] args) {
int number1 = (int)(System.currentTimeMillis() % 10);
int number2 = (int)(System.currentTimeMillis() / 7 % 10);

// Create a Scanner
Scanner input = new Scanner(System.in);

System.out.print(
"What is " + number1 + " + " + number2 + "? ");

int answer = input.nextInt();

System.out.println(
number1 + " + " + number2 + " = " + answer + " is " +
(number1 + number2 == answer));
}
}

What is 1 + 7? 8
1 + 7 = 8 is true

What is 4 + 8? 9
4 + 8 = 9 is false

CMPS161 Class Notes (Chap 03) Page 2 /23 Dr. Kuo-pao Yang
3.3 if Statements
if (booleanExpression) {
statement(s);
} // execution flow chart is shown in Figure (A)

Example
if (radius >= 0) {
area = radius * radius * PI;
System.out.println("The area for the circle of radius " +
radius + " is " + area);
} // if the Boolean expression evaluates to true, the statements in
the block are executed

FIGURE 3.1 An if statement executes statements if the Boolean Expression evaluates as

true
• Note:
o The Boolean expression is enclosed in parentheses for all forms of the if
statement. Thus, the outer parentheses in the previous if statements are required.

if i > 0 { if (i > 0) {
System.out.println("i is positive"); System.out.println("i is positive");
} }
(a) Wrong (b) Correct

o The braces can be omitted if they enclose a single statement.

if (i > 0) { if (i > 0)
System.out.println("i is positive"); Equivalent System.out.println("i is positive");
}

(a) (b)

CMPS161 Class Notes (Chap 03) Page 3 /23 Dr. Kuo-pao Yang
• Write a program that prompts the user to enter an integer. If the number is a multiple
of 5, print HiFive. If the number is divisible by 2, print HiEven.
• LISTING 3.2 SimpleIfDemo.java
import java.util.Scanner;

public class SimpleIfDemo {

public static void main(String[] args) {
Scanner input = new Scanner(System.in);
System.out.println("Enter an integer: ");
int number = input.nextInt();

if (number % 5 == 0)
System.out.println("HiFive");

if (number % 2 == 0)
System.out.println("HiEven");
}
}

Enter an integer: 4
HiEven

Enter an integer: 30
HiFive
HiEven

CMPS161 Class Notes (Chap 03) Page 4 /23 Dr. Kuo-pao Yang
3.4 Two-Way if-else Statements
if (booleanExpression) {
statement(s)-for-the-true-case;
}
else {
statement(s)-for-the-false-case;
}

FIGURE 3.2 An if-else statement executes statements for the true case if the Boolean
expression evaluations are true; otherwise, statements for the false case are executed.

• if...else Example

if (radius >= 0) {
area = radius * radius * PI;
System.out.println("The area for the circle of radius " +
radius + " is " + area);
}
else {
System.out.println("Negative input"); // braces may be omitted
}
Note: If radius >= 0 is true, area is computed and displayed; if it is false, the message
“Negative input” is printed.

• Using the if … else statement, you can rewrite the following code for determining
whether a number is even or odd, as follows:

if (number % 2 == 0)
System.out.println(number + “ is even.”);
if (number % 2 != 0)
System.out.println(number + “is odd.”);

// rewriting the code using else

if (number % 2 == 0)
System.out.println(number + “ is even.”);
else
System.out.println(number + “is odd.”);
Note: This is more efficient because whether number % 2 is 0 is tested only once.

CMPS161 Class Notes (Chap 03) Page 5 /23 Dr. Kuo-pao Yang
3.5 Nested if and Multi-Way if-else Statements
• The statement in an if or if ... else statement can be any legal Java statement,
including another if or if ... else statement. The inner if statement is said to be nested
inside the outer if statement.
• The inner if statement can contain another if statement.
• There is no limit to the depth of the nesting.

if (i > k) {
if (j > k)
System.out.println(“i and j are greater than k”);
}
else
System.out.println(“i is less than or equal to k”);
// the if (j > k) is nested inside the if (i > k)

• The nested if-else statement can be used to implement multiple alternatives.

if (score >= 90.0) if (score >= 90.0)

System.out.print("A"); System.out.print("A");
else else if (score >= 80.0)
if (score >= 80.0) Equivalent System.out.print("B");
System.out.print("B"); else if (score >= 70.0)
else System.out.print("C");
if (score >= 70.0) else if (score >= 60.0)
System.out.print("C"); System.out.print("D");
else else
if (score >= 60.0) This is better System.out.print("F");
System.out.print("D");
else
System.out.print("F");

(a) (b)
FIGURE 3.3 A preferred format for multiple alternatives is shown in (b) using a multi-
way if-else statement.

FIGURE 3.4 You can use a multi-way if-else statement to assign a grade.

CMPS161 Class Notes (Chap 03) Page 6 /23 Dr. Kuo-pao Yang
3.6 Common Errors and Pitfalls
• Common Error 1: Forgetting Necessary Braces

if (radius >= 0) if (radius >= 0){

area = radius * radius * PI; area = radius * radius * PI;
System.out.println("The area " System.out.println("The area "
+ " is " + area); + " is " + area);
}

(a) Wrong (b) Correct

• Common Error 2: Wrong Semicolon at the if Line

o Adding a semicolon at the end of an if clause is a common mistake.
o This mistake is hard to find, because it is not a compilation error or a runtime
error, it is a logic error.
o This error often occurs when you use the next-line block style.

if (radius >= 0) ; if (radius >= 0) { } ;

{ {
area = radius * radius * PI; Equivalent area = radius * radius * PI;
System.out.println("The area " ========== System.out.println("The area "
+ " is " + area); + " is " + area);
} }

(a) (b)

• Common Error 3: Redundant Testing of Boolean Values

o To test whether a Boolean variable is true or false in a test condition, it is
redundant to use the equality comparison operator like this:

if (even == true) Equivalent if (even)

System.out.println( System.out.println(
"It is even."); "It is even.");
(a) (b)

Caution
o What’s wrong with the following?

if (even = true)
System.out.println(“It is even.”);

This statement does not have syntax errors. It assigns true to even so that even is
always true.

CMPS161 Class Notes (Chap 03) Page 7 /23 Dr. Kuo-pao Yang
• Common Error 4: Dangling else Ambiguity
o The else clause matches the most recent unmatched if clause in the same block.
For example, the following statement:

int i = 1; int j = 2; int k = 3;

if (i > j)
if (i > k)
System.out.println("A");
else
System.out.println("B");

is equivalent to:

int i = 1; int j = 2; int k = 3;

if (i > j)
if (i > k)
System.out.println("A");
else
System.out.println("B");

o Nothing is printed from the preceding statement because the compiler ignores
indentation. To force the else clause to match the first if clause, you must add a
pair of braces:

int i = 1; int j = 2; int k = 3;

if (i > j) {
if (i > k)
System.out.println("A");
}
else
System.out.println("B");

This statement prints B.

• Common Error 5: Equality Test of Two Floating-Point Values

o You expect the following code to display true, but surprisingly it displays false.
double x = 1.0 - 0.1 - 0.1 - 0.1 - 0.1 - 0.1;
System.out.println(x == 0.5);

Here, x is not exactly 0.5, but is 0.5000000000000001.

CMPS161 Class Notes (Chap 03) Page 8 /23 Dr. Kuo-pao Yang
• Common Pitfall 1: Simplifying Boolean Variable Assignment
o Often new Programmers write that assigns a test condition to a Boolean variable
like the code in (a).
if (number % 2 == 0) Equivalent
even = true; boolean even
else = number % 2 == 0;
even = false;
(a) (b)

o The code can be simplified by assigning the test value directly to the variable, as
shown in (b). This is not an error, but it should be better written as shown in (b).

• Common Pitfall 2: Avoiding Duplicate Code in Different Cases

o Often, new programmers write the duplicate code in different cases that should be
combined in one place. For example, the highlighted code in the following
statement is duplicated.
if (inState) {
tuition = 5000;
System.out.println("The tuition is " + tuition);
}
else {
tuition = 15000;
System.out.println("The tuition is " + tuition);
}

This is not an error, but it should be better written as

follows:

if (inState) {
tuition = 5000;
}
else {
tuition = 15000;
}
System.out.println("The tuition is " + tuition);

o The new code removes the duplication and makes the code easy to maintain,
because you only need to change in one place if the print statement is modified.

CMPS161 Class Notes (Chap 03) Page 9 /23 Dr. Kuo-pao Yang
3.7 Generating Random Numbers
• This example creates a program to teach a first grade child how to learn subtractions.
The program randomly generates two single-digit integers number1 and number2
with number1 > number2 and displays a question such as “What is 9 – 2?” to the
student, as shown in the figure. After the student types the answer in the input dialog
box, the program displays a message dialog box to indicate whether the answer is
correct.
• LISTING 3.3 SubtractionQuiz.java

import java.util.Scanner;

public class SubtractionQuiz {

public static void main(String[] args) {
// 1. Generate two random single-digit integers
int number1 = (int)(Math.random() * 10);
int number2 = (int)(Math.random() * 10);

// 2. If number1 < number2, swap number1 with number2

if (number1 < number2) {
int temp = number1;
number1 = number2;
number2 = temp;
}

// 3. Prompt the student to answer “what is number1 – number2?”

System.out.print
("What is " + number1 + " - " + number2 + "? ");
Scanner input = new Scanner(System.in);
int answer = input.nextInt();

// 4. Grade the answer and display the result

if (number1 - number2 == answer)
System.out.println("You are correct!");
else
System.out.println("Your answer is wrong.\n" + number1 + " - "
+ number2 + " should be " + (number1 - number2));
}
}

What is 6 - 6? 0
You are correct!

What is 9 - 2? 5
Your answer is wrong.
9 - 2 should be 7

CMPS161 Class Notes (Chap 03) Page 10 /23 Dr. Kuo-pao Yang
3.8 Case Study: Computing Body Mass Index
• Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measure of health on weight. It can be calculated by
taking your weight in kilograms and dividing by the square of your height in meters.
The interpretation of BMI for people 16 years or older is as follows:
BMI Interpretation

BMI < 18.5 Underweight

18.5 <= BMI < 25.0 Normal
25.0 <= BMI < 30.0 Overweight
30.0 <= BMI Obese
• LISTING 3.4 ComputeAndInterpretBMI.java

import java.util.Scanner;
public class ComputeAndInterpretBMI {
public static void main(String[] args) {
Scanner input = new Scanner(System.in);

// Prompt the user to enter weight in pounds

System.out.print("Enter weight in pounds: ");
double weight = input.nextDouble();

// Prompt the user to enter height in inches

System.out.print("Enter height in inches: ");
double height = input.nextDouble();

final double KILOGRAMS_PER_POUND = 0.45359237; // Constant

final double METERS_PER_INCH = 0.0254; // Constant

// Compute BMI
double weightInKilograms = weight * KILOGRAMS_PER_POUND;
double heightInMeters = height * METERS_PER_INCH;
double bmi = weightInKilograms /
(heightInMeters * heightInMeters);

// Display result
System.out.println("BMI is " + bmi);
if (bmi < 18.5)
System.out.println("Underweight");
else if (bmi < 25)
System.out.println("Normal");
else if (bmi < 30)
System.out.println("Overweight");
else
System.out.println("Obese");
}
} Enter weight in pounds: 146
Enter height in inches: 70
BMI is 20.948603801493316
Normal

CMPS161 Class Notes (Chap 03) Page 11 /23 Dr. Kuo-pao Yang
3.9 Case Study: Computing Taxes
• The US federal personal income tax is calculated based on the filing status and
taxable income. There are four filing statuses: single filers, married filing jointly,
married filing separately, and head of household. The tax rates for 2009 are shown
below.

TABLE 3.2 2009 U.S. Federal Personal Tax Rates

• LISTING 3.5 ComputeAndInterpretBMI.java

import java.util.Scanner;

public class ComputeTax {

public static void main(String[] args) {
// Create a Scanner
Scanner input = new Scanner(System.in);

// Prompt the user to enter filing status

System.out.print("(0-single filer, 1-married jointly or " +
"qualifying widow(er), 2-married separately, 3-head of " +
"household) Enter the filing status: ");
int status = input.nextInt();

// Prompt the user to enter taxable income

System.out.print("Enter the taxable income: ");
double income = input.nextDouble();

// Compute tax
double tax = 0;

if (status == 0) { // Compute tax for single filers

if (income <= 8350)
tax = income * 0.10;
else if (income <= 33950)
tax = 8350 * 0.10 + (income - 8350) * 0.15;
else if (income <= 82250)
tax = 8350 * 0.10 + (33950 - 8350) * 0.15 +
(income - 33950) * 0.25;
else if (income <= 171550)
tax = 8350 * 0.10 + (33950 - 8350) * 0.15 +
(82250 - 33950) * 0.25 + (income - 82250) * 0.28;
else if (income <= 372950)

CMPS161 Class Notes (Chap 03) Page 12 /23 Dr. Kuo-pao Yang
 tax = 8350 * 0.10 + (33950 - 8350) * 0.15 +
(82250 - 33950) * 0.25 + (171550 - 82250) * 0.28 +
(income - 171550) * 0.33;
else
tax = 8350 * 0.10 + (33950 - 8350) * 0.15 +
(82250 - 33950) * 0.25 + (171550 - 82250) * 0.28 +
(372950 - 171550) * 0.33 + (income - 372950) * 0.35;
}
else if (status == 1) { // Compute tax for married file jointly
// Left as exercise
}
else if (status == 2) { // Compute tax for married separately
// Left as exercise
}
else if (status == 3) { // Compute tax for head of household
// Left as exercise
}
else {
System.out.println("Error: invalid status");
System.exit(1);
}

// Display the result

System.out.println("Tax is " + (int)(tax * 100) / 100.0);
}
}

(0-single filer, 1-married jointly or qualifying widow(er), 2-

married separately, 3-head of household) Enter the filing status: 0
Enter the taxable income: 40000
Tax is 6187.5

CMPS161 Class Notes (Chap 03) Page 13 /23 Dr. Kuo-pao Yang
3.10 Logical Operators
• Logical operators, also known as Boolean operators, operate on Boolean values to
create a new Boolean value.

TABLE 3.3 Boolean Operators

Operator Name Description
! not logical negation

&& and logical conjunction

|| or logical disjunction

^ exclusive or logical exclusion

• Examples
&& (and) (1 < x) && (x < 100)
|| (or) (lightsOn) || (isDayTime)
! (not) !(isStopped)

TABLE 3.4 Truth Table for Operator !

p !p Example (assume age = 24, weight = 140)

!(age > 18) is false,

true false
because (age > 18) is true.
!(weight == 150) is true,
false true
because (weight == 150) is false.

TABLE 3.5 Truth Table for Operator &&

p1 p2 p1 && p2 Example (assume age = 24, weight = 140)

(age <= 18) && (weight < 140) is false,

false false false
because (age > 18) and (weight <= 140) are both false.
false true false
(age > 18) && (weight > 140) is false,
true false false
because (weight > 140) is false.
(age > 18) && (weight >= 140) is true,
true true true
because both (age > 18) and (weight >= 140) are true.

TABLE 3.6 Truth Table for Operator ||

p1 p2 p1 || p2 Example (assume age = 24, weight = 140)

false false false

(age > 34) || (weight <= 140) is true,
false true true
because (age > 34) is false, but (weight <= 140) is true.
(age > 14) || (weight >= 150) is false,
true false true
because (age > 14) is true.
true true true

CMPS161 Class Notes (Chap 03) Page 14 /23 Dr. Kuo-pao Yang
 TABLE 3.7 Truth Table for Operator ^
p1 p2 p1 ^ p2 Example (assume age = 24, weight = 140)

(age > 34) ^ (weight > 140) is true,

false false false
because (age > 34) is false and (weight > 140) is false.
(age > 34) ^ (weight >= 140) is true,
false true true
because (age > 34) is false but (weight >= 140) is true.
(age > 14) ^ (weight > 140) is true,
true false true
because (age > 14) is true and (weight > 140) is false.
true true false

• LISTING 3.6 TestBooleanOperators.java

import java.util.Scanner;

public class TestBooleanOperators {

public static void main(String[] args) {
// Create a Scanner
Scanner input = new Scanner(System.in);

// Receive an input
System.out.print("Enter an integer: ");
int number = input.nextInt();

if (number % 2 == 0 && number % 3 == 0)

System.out.println(number + " is divisible by 2 and 3.");

if (number % 2 == 0 || number % 3 == 0)
System.out.println(number + " is divisible by 2 or 3.");

if (number % 2 == 0 ^ number % 3 == 0)
System.out.println(number +
" divisible by 2 or 3, but not both.");
}
}

Enter an integer: 4
4 is divisible by 2 or 3.
4 divisible by 2 or 3, but not both.

Enter an integer: 18
18 is divisible by 2 and 3.
18 is divisible by 2 or 3.

CMPS161 Class Notes (Chap 03) Page 15 /23 Dr. Kuo-pao Yang
3.11 Case Study: Determining Leap Year
• This program first prompts the user to enter a year as an int value and checks if it is a
leap year.
• A year is a leap year if it is divisible by 4 but not by 100, or it is divisible by 400.

(year % 4 == 0 && year % 100 != 0) || (year % 400 == 0)

• LISTING 3.7 LeapYear.java

import java.util.Scanner;

public class LeapYear {

public static void main(String args[]) {
// Create a Scanner
Scanner input = new Scanner(System.in);
System.out.print("Enter a year: ");
int year = input.nextInt();

// Check if the year is a leap year

boolean isLeapYear =
(year % 4 == 0 && year % 100 != 0) || (year % 400 == 0);

// Display the result in a message dialog box

System.out.println(year + " is a leap year? " + isLeapYear);
}
}

Enter a year: 2008

2008 is a leap year? true

Enter a year: 1900

2002 is a leap year? false

CMPS161 Class Notes (Chap 03) Page 16 /23 Dr. Kuo-pao Yang
3.12 Case Study: Lottery
• Write a program that randomly generates a lottery of a two-digit number, prompts the
user to enter a two-digit number, and determines whether the user wins according to
the following rule:
o If the user input matches the lottery in exact order, the award is $10,000.
o If the user input match all the digits in the lottery, the award is $3,000.
o If one digit in the user input matches a digit in the lottery, the award is $1,000.

• LISTING 3.8 Lottery.java

import java.util.Scanner;

public class Lottery {

public static void main(String[] args) {
// Generate a lottery
int lottery = (int)(Math.random() * 100);

// Prompt the user to enter a guess

Scanner input = new Scanner(System.in);
System.out.print("Enter your lottery pick (two digits): ");
int guess = input.nextInt();

// Get digits from lottery

int lotteryDigit1 = lottery / 10;
int lotteryDigit2 = lottery % 10;

// Get digits from guess

int guessDigit1 = guess / 10;
int guessDigit2 = guess % 10;

System.out.println("The lottery number is " + lottery);

// Check the guess

if (guess == lottery)
System.out.println("Exact match: you win $10,000");
else if (guessDigit2 == lotteryDigit1
&& guessDigit1 == lotteryDigit2)
System.out.println("Match all digits: you win $3,000");
else if (guessDigit1 == lotteryDigit1
|| guessDigit1 == lotteryDigit2
|| guessDigit2 == lotteryDigit1
|| guessDigit2 == lotteryDigit2)
System.out.println("Match one digit: you win $1,000");
else
System.out.println("Sorry, no match");
}
}

Enter your lottery pick (two digits): 45

The lottery number is 12
Sorry, no match

Enter your lottery pick (two digits): 23

The lottery number is 34
Match one digit: you win $1,000

CMPS161 Class Notes (Chap 03) Page 17 /23 Dr. Kuo-pao Yang
3.13 switch Statements
• One can write a switch statement to replace a nested if statement. For example,

switch (status) {
case 0: compute taxes for single filers;
break;
case 1: compute taxes for married file jointly;
break;
case 2: compute taxes for married file separately;
break;
case 3: compute taxes for head of household;
break;
default: System.out.println("Errors: invalid status");
System.exit(0);
} // checks if status matches the values 0, 1, 2, or 3 respectively.

FIGURE 3.5 The switch statement checks all cases and executes the statement in
matched cases

The switch Statement Rules:

• The switch-expression must yield a value of char, byte, short, or int type and must
always be enclosed in parentheses.
• The value1... and valueN must have the same data type as the value of the switch-
expression. value1... and valueN are constant expressions, meaning that they cannot
contain variables in the expression, such as 1 + x.
• When the value in a case statement matches the value of the switch-expression, the
statements starting from this case are executed until either a break statement or the
end of the switch statement is reached.

CMPS161 Class Notes (Chap 03) Page 18 /23 Dr. Kuo-pao Yang
• The keyword break is optional. The break statement immediately ends the switch
statement.
• The default case, which is optional, can be used to perform actions when none of
the specified cases matches the switch-expression.
• The cases statements are checked in sequential order, but the order of the cases
(including the default case) does not matter. However, it is a good programming style
to follow the logical sequence of the cases and place the default case at the end.

Caution
• Do not forget to use a break statement when one is needed. Once a case is matched,
the statements starting from the matched case are executed until a break statement or
the end of the switch statement is reached. This is referred to as fall-through behavior.
• For example, the following code displays Weekdays for day of 1 to 5 and Weekends
for day 0 and 6.

switch (day) {
case 1:
case 2:
case 3:
case 4:
case 5: System.out.println("Weekday"); break;
case 0:
case 6: System.out.println("Weekend");
}

CMPS161 Class Notes (Chap 03) Page 19 /23 Dr. Kuo-pao Yang
• Problem (Chinese Zodiac): Write a program that prompts the user to enter a year and
displays the animal for the year.

FIGURE 3.6 The Chinese Zodiac is based on a twelve-year cycle

• LISTING 3.9 ChineseZodiac.java

import java.util.Scanner;

public class ChineseZodiac {

public static void main(String[] args) {
Scanner input = new Scanner(System.in);

System.out.print("Enter a year: ");

int year = input.nextInt();

switch (year % 12) {

case 0: System.out.println("monkey"); break;
case 1: System.out.println("rooster"); break;
case 2: System.out.println("dog"); break;
case 3: System.out.println("pig"); break;
case 4: System.out.println("rat"); break;
case 5: System.out.println("ox"); break;
case 6: System.out.println("tiger"); break;
case 7: System.out.println("rabbit"); break;
case 8: System.out.println("dragon"); break;
case 9: System.out.println("snake"); break;
case 10: System.out.println("horse"); break;
case 11: System.out.println("sheep"); break;
}
} Enter a year: 1963
} rabbit

Enter a year: 2014

horse

CMPS161 Class Notes (Chap 03) Page 20 /23 Dr. Kuo-pao Yang
3.14 Conditional Expressions
• Conditional expressions are in different style, which no explicit if in the statement.
The syntax is shown below:

BooleanExpression ? exprssion1 : exprssion2;

The result of this conditional expression expression1 if BooleanExpression is true;

otherwise the result is expression2.
• For example:
if (x > 0)
y = 1
else
y = -1;

is equivalent to

y = (x > 0) ? 1 : -1;

• For example:
if (num % 2 == 0)
System.out.println(num + "is even");
else
System.out.println(num + "is odd");

is equivalent to
System.out.println((num % 2 == 0)? num + "is even" : num + "is
odd");

• For example:
Max = (num1 > num2)? num1 : num2;

Note
• The symbols ? and : appear together in a conditional expression. They form a
condition operator. The operator is called a ternary operator because it uses three
operands.

CMPS161 Class Notes (Chap 03) Page 21 /23 Dr. Kuo-pao Yang
3.15 Operator Precedence and Associativity
How to evaluate?

3 + 4 * 4 > 5 * (4 + 3) - 1

• The precedence rule defines precedence for operators as shown below.

• If operators with the same precedence are next to each other, their associativity
determines the order of evaluation.
• All binary operators except assignment operators are left-associative. For example:

a – b + c – d is equivalent to ((a – b) + c) – d

Assignment operators are right-associative. Therefore, the expression

a = b += c = 5 is equivalent to a = (b += (c = 5))

TABLE 3.8 Operator Precedence Chart

var++, var--
+, - (Unary plus and minus), ++var,--var
(type) Casting
! (Not)
*, /, % (Multiplication, division, and modulus)
+, - (Binary addition and subtraction)
<, <=, >, >= (Comparison)
==,!= (Equality)
& (Unconditional AND)
^ (Exclusive OR)
| (Unconditional OR)
&& (Conditional AND) Short-circuit AND
|| (Conditional OR) Short-circuit OR
=, +=, -=, *=, /=, %= (Assignment operator)

• Example
Applying the operator precedence and associativity rule, the expression 3 + 4 * 4 > 5
* (4 + 3) - 1 is evaluated as follows:

3 + 4 * 4 > 5 * (4 + 3) - 1
(1) inside parentheses first
3 + 4 * 4 > 5 * 7 – 1
(2) multiplication
3 + 16 > 5 * 7 – 1
(3) multiplication
3 + 16 > 35 – 1
(4) addition
19 > 35 – 1
(5) subtraction
19 > 34
(6) greater than
false

CMPS161 Class Notes (Chap 03) Page 22 /23 Dr. Kuo-pao Yang
3.16 Debugging
• Logic errors are called bugs. The process of finding and correcting errors is called
debugging. A common approach to debugging is to use a combination of methods to
narrow down to the part of the program where the bug is located. You can hand-trace
the program (i.e., catch errors by reading the program), or you can insert print
statements in order to show the values of the variables or the execution flow of the
program. This approach might work for a short, simple program. But for a large,
complex program, the most effective approach for debugging is to use a debugger
utility.
• Debugger is a program that facilitates debugging. You can use a debugger to
o Execute a single statement at a time.
o Trace into or stepping over a method.
o Set breakpoints.
o Display variables.
o Display call stack.
o Modify variables.

CMPS161 Class Notes (Chap 03) Page 23 /23 Dr. Kuo-pao Yang