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What is polymorphism?

 
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What is the answer for the following question :

What does polymorphism mean?
Choice 1
Dynamic selection of underlying proxies
Choice 2
A class can have different behavior depending on its runtime type.
Choice 3
A clever form of inheritance
Choice 4
It is another name for the Object-Oriented paradigm.
Choice 5
Dynamic behind the scene code conversion (for example, byte codes to native machine
code)
 
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"A class can have different behavior depending on its runtime type. "

Although I would rephrase it,

"An object can have different behavior depending on its runtime type. "

Polymorphism is the functionality of behing able to assign an instance of a subtype of a class, to a reference variable of any of its superclasses.

// Andreas
 
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Puja, please QuoteYourSources <--link
 
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Hi Folks...

Just for further clarification. In page 157 of the Keith Sarah and Bates book for SCJP 6, the following is mentioned as the last point under the heading 'Polymorphism':

Polymorphic method invocations apply only to overridden instance methods.

Can this be taken to mean that each time we override a methd, it's polymorphism at work? Hope someone can clarify. Thanks.

 
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Varnam Aayiram wrote:Hi Folks...
Just for further clarification. In page 157 of the Keith Sarah and Bates book for SCJP 6, the following is mentioned as the last point under the heading 'Polymorphism':

Polymorphic method invocations apply only to overridden instance methods.

Can this be taken to mean that each time we override a methd, it's polymorphism at work?



Hello Varnam I will rather 'directly' relate the process of overriding to inheritance, polymorphism is a situation where an Object -thanks to inheritance- can be refered to by references of its type and its super classe's type.

HTH

Regards

Ikpefua.
 
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