Compare() - from Master Exam

[Nabila Mohammad]

This is from MasterExam

I am not sure what is going on in the Compare Method.
How is it doing the comparision.

  import java.util.*;
 
class Comp21
{
public static void main(String[] args)
{
String[] words={"good","Bad","ugly"};
Comparator<String>best=new Comparator<String>(){
public int compare(String s1,String s2)
{
return s2.charAt(1)-s1.charAt(1);
}
};
 
Arrays.sort(words,best);
System.out.println(words[0]);
}
}  

The answer is good

[victor kamat]

public int compare(String s1,String s2)
{
return s2.charAt(1)-s1.charAt(1);
}

In the code above, say s1="cat", and s2="dog".
The s2.charAt(1) = 'a' and s1.charAt(1)='o'.
Therefore compare() will return the int value of 'o'-'a'.

Note that compare() does not account for when s1 or s2 or both have length 1 or 0. It should have code to take care of these situations and also when either or both of them are null.

[victor kamat]

I meant to say s1.charAt(1) = 'a' and s2.charAt(1) ='o'

[Nabila Mohammad]

So that means its comparing the three words in (reverse of )Alphabetical order based on the second letter as its
s2.charAt(1) -s1.charAt(1)
and not
s1.charAt(1) -s2.charAt(1).

Right?

[victor kamat]

Right

[Nabila Mohammad]

THanks