java -- methods -- please help

Laptop2250 · 12-12-2003, 10:36 PM

Hi, I am currently writing a small calculator program, and I would to have some help in creating +, -, *, /, to be in methods.

This method is created in class MIrrational

Code:

public Irrational add(Irrational t, Irrational z)
{   return (z+t);
}

I do not understand how to make this method work from another class called MainIrrational

Code:

/**
The Calculator will be implemented
 */
public class Icalculator
{ public static void main (String []args)
    {EasyReader n= new EasyReader();
     int choice;
     System.out.print("Select a number for operation (1,2,3,4,5,6)\n"+
                      "1.Add\n"+
                      "2.Subtract\n"+
                      "3.Mutiply\n"+
                      "4.Divide\n"+
                      "Your operation choice is: ");
     choice= n.readInt();
     if (choice==1)
        {System.out.println ("Enter irrational numbers in the format:x,y");

Please tell me what the next line should be to make the program to call the addition method. I know that simply doing this without methods would be easier, but I am learning methods. Please respond soon.

ajk · 12-13-2003, 12:45 AM

For this kind of calling add, you have to declare it public static Irrational add(Irratonal t, Irrational z){}

This means, you call a Method of the CLASS.

Or you could it use object-oriented, this would mean, you would tell one Irrational to add a given other one:

public Irrational add(Irrational t){
//if you want directly to use this one as result, you can do that:
this.value = this.value + t //depending how you store the values...
//or you can return a new value
return this.value + t.value
} //add

this means always the active object, on which a method runs

I think, first is what you want, second could possibly help to look a bit further... ;-)

hope it helps

greets

ajk

coolman0stress · 12-13-2003, 12:46 AM

How is the Irrational class setup?

I'm assuming it's something you created yourself, since i've never personally encountered it.

If Irrational is another class you created, there really isn't much use in it since you can just use doubles (or BidDecimal for higher precision) instead directly.

So instead i will answer your quesions using doubles for simplicity:

In your MIrrational you have this:

Code:

public double add(double t, double z) { 
  return t+z;
}

Usually the form you would use to call this method is by creating an instance of the object that contains the method first. Like this:

Code:

MIrrational myObject= new MIrrational();
double t= 1.2;
double z= 2.3;
double return = myObject.add(t,z);
...

So in your case you would need to read 2 doubles and then pass 'em to the function and hold the result for display to user.

Another approach would be to have the add method in the same class as your main. Then you won't need to actually create an instance of the object and will just be able to do "add(t,z);".

Finally, if you must use a method from another class, then you can make it static, by doing:

Code:

public static double add(double t, double z) { ... }

This time you would need to specify where the method is coming from, but don't need to create an object of that type:

Code:

result = MIrrational.add(t,z);

Hope this helps.