Is this Generics model answer correct

[sam Asare]

Studying for SCJP5 using Sierra/Bates book.

In generics end of ch question 16 has the answer as below. However I am not sure its correct.

public static <E extends Number> List<? super E> process(List <E>

//if you want to invoke the method like this
ArrayList<Integer>input=null
List<Integer>output=null

output=process(input)//will this invocation work with the above 2 lines?

//I thought the process method requires a list as input.

[Scott Johnson]

[sam] I thought the process method requires a list as input.

It does. input "is a" List. (It's an instance of ArrayList which is a subclass of List.)

[sam Asare]

So =would it work with:

ArrayList<Integer> input=null
ArrayList<Integer>output=null

[Scott Johnson]

Mmmmmm. No.

output should not be defined as an ArrayList. It should be a List.

The return type of the process() method is List so it could return a LinkedList, ArrayList or any other object that implements the List interface.

You can't store a reference to a LinkedList in an ArrayList reference.

[sam Asare]

Thanks- Your explanation has cleared my confusion