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Need tip/advise to solve complex looping

 
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Hi All,

I need your advise, any simple tip to solve complex looping in quick time. Some examples:

Sample 1://Looks simple I found it hard to calculate end result, only missed by one iteration few: answer was wrong



Sample 2: //would be simple if choice were easy
1>It will print x, y when line 1 is replaced by break;
2>It will print x, y when line 1 is replaced by continue;
3>It will print a, b when line 1 is replaced by continue;
4>It will print a, a when line 1 is replaced by i = m++;
5>It will print b, b when line 1 is replaced by i = 4;

Just modified the original choices, just to make my point without violating any contract. Here x,y,a,b are numbers ranging from 1,2,3,4. I could spot 1st 3 choices within time but last 2 were hard to calculate, as I had only few seconds to solve this.

Until now I practiced this, to solve
Sample 1: c=0, s=0, c<11
c=1, s=1, c<11
c=0,3,6,9,12 sum wont change
like wise on paper where c=count and s=sum, but this led me to the confusion, will the loop enters, when c=10 as its count++ not ++count.

Any simple steps/tips that you followed, and worked for you, would be great.


Thanks,
With kind regards,
Prathima
 
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There is no simple rule. You just have to think like the compiler! That being said, you can always as a first step look for errors in the given code snippet.
 
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1. on exam use paper and write each iteration.
2. before you start writing check for compiler error.
3. before 1 check condition and write last that be before you exit loop.
ps. question like this claim maximum attention and time (my own opinion)


you use post increment so last condition is 11
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
1+2+4+5+7+8+10+11=48
 
Prathima gaitonde
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Wow!!! @Sergej Smoljanov, I really liked your reply. Thanks.

Sergej Smoljanov wrote:
ps. question like this claim maximum attention and time (my own opinion)



I completely agree with you.
 
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Prathima gaitonde wrote:I need your advise, any simple tip to solve complex looping in quick time.


Unfortunately there is no simple rule or algorithm to solve this kind of complex loop questions. But there are a few tips you can apply with such a question (or even with every question):
  • before you start to evaluate a code snippet, always glance quickly at the possible answers. If there's no "compilation fails" answer, don't waste your precious time checking if the code will compile or not. If there's a "compilation fails", you should 1st check if the code snippet compiles before you start evaluating the code itself (it would be a real waste of time if you have spent 5 minutes evaluating a really complex loop when you discover the print statement uses a variable outside its scope). Sometimes you might see possible answers like "Compilation fails due to an error on line X"; then you should only check these lines carefully for compiler errors
  • the exam center is required to give you some scratch paper and a pen. If they don't give it to you, just ask (you are entitled to get this stuff). These days it's often an erasable small whiteboard (or an alternative), so you get a wiper and a special pen as well. Use these aids to work out complex loops by writing down the state of every (important) variable at every iteration. Even if you are an experienced developer (like me), you solve these kind of questions like this.
  • and finally: as always, practice makes perfect. The more you solve these kinds of questions, the better and faster you'll be able to solve them


  • So if we apply the 2nd bullet to sample1 (the one with count & sum variables), your whiteboard/paper would look something like this:


    Hope it helps!
    Kind regards,
    Roel
     
    Sergej Smoljanov
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    so last condition is 11


    Roel right last count will be 12 (but outside loop and after checking condition)

    when rechecking (my own answer) i make mistake. so if you rechecking - use paper too.
     
    Roel De Nijs
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    Sergej Smoljanov wrote:you use post increment so last condition is 11
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
    1+2+4+5+7+8+10+11=48


    I have to nitpick a little bit, as this isn't 100% correct. The iteration with count = 0 is missing, although this won't affect the result in the end (0 + 0 = 0 ). And the final value of count will be 12 (also not important for the result, but could be if count was printed as well).

    If you had a few small print statements to the code, you can actually see what's going on. This code snippet

    produces the following output:
    c: 0 c: 1 -> s: 1
    c: 2 -> s: 3
    c: 3 c: 4 -> s: 7
    c: 5 -> s: 12
    c: 6 c: 7 -> s: 19
    c: 8 -> s: 27
    c: 9 c: 10 -> s: 37
    c: 11 -> s: 48
    The end! c: 12 s: 48


    Hope it helps!
    Kind regards,
    Roel

     
    Sergej Smoljanov
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    you are right. First i think that make mistake in checking last expression, but now see that i overlook first checking and this also important for exam. for example this one

    can be overlooked also.
     
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    Roel De Nijs wrote:

    Sergej Smoljanov wrote:you use post increment so last condition is 11
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
    1+2+4+5+7+8+10+11=48


    I have to nitpick a little bit, as this isn't 100% correct. The iteration with count = 0 is missing, although this won't affect the result in the end (0 + 0 = 0 ). And the final value of count will be 12 (also not important for the result, but could be if count was printed as well).

    If you had a few small print statements to the code, you can actually see what's going on. This code snippet

    produces the following output:
    c: 0 c: 1 -> s: 1
    c: 2 -> s: 3
    c: 3 c: 4 -> s: 7
    c: 5 -> s: 12
    c: 6 c: 7 -> s: 19
    c: 8 -> s: 27
    c: 9 c: 10 -> s: 37
    c: 11 -> s: 48
    The end! c: 12 s: 48


    Hope it helps!
    Kind regards,
    Roel



    Hello

    Clarify something for me please.

    What exactly is happening here?


    As I stated in my very first post upon receiving my Associate Certification (OCAJP 7/8) book, I have knowledge in how Java operates but I am very far from expert. I hope I don't get any "you should already know that if you are studying from this book"
    Count starts at 0, so 0 divided by 3 is 0 which satisfies the reminder of == 0. What does this continue mean? If the statement evaluates to true then we do not add sum + count?

    I see, for instance, that when count is 3 the statement evaluates to true as well, so the continue again means that the code ignores the rest of the if statement and skips to to while loop?

    I hope my question was clear.

    Thanks!
     
    Daniel Andres
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    Sergej Smoljanov wrote:you are right. First i think that make mistake in checking last expression, but now see that i overlook first checking and this also important for exam. for example this one

    can be overlooked also.



    What is the answer here

    The end! c: 10 s: 10 ?
     
    Daniel Andres
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    What I meant to say in my second to last post is that 3 divided by 3 is 1 which gives no reminder therefore it satisfies the == 0.
     
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    Daniel Andres wrote:

    Sergej Smoljanov wrote:you are right. First i think that make mistake in checking last expression, but now see that i overlook first checking and this also important for exam. for example this one

    can be overlooked also.



    What is the answer here

    The end! c: 10 s: 10 ?


    It's a trick question...
    first thing, count increments to 11, so the loop never executes, and so it prints out...

    Your understanding of continue and % is correct. When you hit continue you abort what comes after for that current iteration and go back to the top of the loop.

    To figure these kinds of things with counts in them out, do like Roel suggests and make a list of what each variable becomes. You can check whether you were right or not by pasting the code and running it.

    The real test is full of this kind of stuff. Some you may not have to work out, like this one, but others you will. Get good at it.

     
    Roel De Nijs
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    Daniel Andres wrote:Count starts at 0, so 0 divided by 3 is 0 which satisfies the reminder of == 0. What does this continue mean? If the statement evaluates to true then we do not add sum + count?

    I see, for instance, that when count is 3 the statement evaluates to true as well, so the continue again means that the code ignores the rest of the if statement and skips to to while loop?


    You are spot-on! That's exactly how continue works. More info about break, continue and return can be found here.
     
    Roel De Nijs
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    Daniel Andres wrote:What is the answer here

    The end! c: 10 s: 10 ?


    No! And you are not even close

    But I'm pretty sure you'll get the correct answer if you work through the code and keep track of the different values for count and sum as I demonstrated in this post. It's an easy technique which will be very useful and helpful on the (actual) exam.
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