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Sybex OCA Java 8 Study Guide

 
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Hi,  Can someone check this out? I believe there is a discrepancy between the Order of operator precedence table on page 52 and the solution on page 59.
On page 52 is Table 2.1 Order of operator precedence.   The table has the following:
Post-unary operators        expression++, expression--
Pre-unary operators ++expression, --expression

On page 59 is the following example of how to resolve the expression.
int x = 3;
int y = ++x * 5 / x-- + --x;

So, how would you read ths code?  First, the x is incremented and returned to the expression, which is multiplied by 5, We can simplify this:
int y = 4 * 5 / x-- + --x;

I believe that either the table is incorrect or the first step in resolving the expression would've been to substitute the three for the x--
y = ++x * 5 / 3 + --x;

// Next apply the post-unary operator (--) to X.
x now has a value of 2

// Next apply the first pre-unary operator ++x and you have the following expression
y = 3 * 5 / 3 + --x;

// Last apply the second pre-unary operator to --x and you have the following expression
int y = 3 * 5 / 3 + 2;
x now has a value of 2

int y = 3 * 5 / 3 + 2;

int y = 15 / 3 + 2;

int y = 5 + 2;

y = 7;
x = 2;
 
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Don Yazurlo wrote:So, how would you read ths code?  First, the x is incremented and returned to the expression, which is multiplied by 5, We can simplify this:
int y = 4 * 5 / x-- + --x;

I believe that either the table is incorrect or the first step in resolving the expression would've been to substitute the three for the x--
y = ++x * 5 / 3 + --x;


No, where you typed in 3, there really supposed to be 4 as there is used post-decrement, meaning, you place current value into expression and only then decrement.

So the whole expression evaluates next:
int x = 3;
int y = ++x * 5 / x-- + --x;

int y = 4 * 5 / 4 + 2;
y = 20 / 4 + 2;
y = 5 + 2;
y = 7;
x = 2;

 
Liutauras Vilda
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It is really easy to get it right if you think about it simpler than are described in most of the tutorials.

Two rules only:
1. if you see --x or ++x that means, you decrement/increment first, and only then place value into expression
2. if you see x-- or x++ that means, you place current value into expression, and only then decrement/increment
 
Don Yazurlo
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I agree with your last post but which takes precedence when there in the same statement?  According to page 52 of the OCA Study Guide the post-unary expression (x++ and x--) takes precedence over the pre-unary expression (++x and --x).  Is that correct?
 
Liutauras Vilda
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Book in several places suggests to write lots of code snippets to verify understanding.

What have you found out after trying?
 
Don Yazurlo
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Using a debugger, I tried to step into the statement int y = ++x * 5 / x-- + --x;  Unfortunately, the debugger does not step into the resolution of each unary operator.  Do you have any suggestions on how to visualize the sequence each of the unary operators are resolved in the above statement?
 
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Don Yazurlo wrote:Using a debugger, I tried to step into the statement int y = ++x * 5 / x-- + --x;  Unfortunately, the debugger does not step into the resolution of each unary operator.  Do you have any suggestions on how to visualize the sequence each of the unary operators are resolved in the above statement?


My suggestion is to build it up. First understand why this understands what it does.


Then this one should be easy


Then this one is a nice head scratcher


But once you understand it, you are ready for the full statement!
 
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Jeanne Boyarsky wrote:. . . Then this one is a nice head scratcher . . .

Assuming there is no overflow error, what is the relationship of the evaluation of the expression to the original value of x?
 
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