Question

PROMT:

Step 1 - Reading the code

This is one of the few labs you will only have to write a single method. While you are free to write more methods (hint: it may be easier with more), you are not required to write more. Before you start, take a moment to read the code provided.

You will notice that the method missing is:

public static String getAnswer(int category, int answer). This is the method you will write. For reference, you method could look like the following, and it would make sense to put in the follow method stub and make sure the program runs.

public static String getAnswer(int category, int answer) {
    // if statements here
    return "Misty";
}

getAnswer() has two ints that are passed in as parameters. They represent a category and an answer.

Category

The first int is between 0 and 99 and it defines your category. The higher the number the better.

You will write three if statements for the categories below:

• Positive Answers are equal to 74 or above
• Unsure Answers are 24 to 73
• Negative answers are less than 24

Once your category is defined, the second int determines the answer that will be returned.

Answer Options

Based on the category, you will have one of five possible answers to be returned as a String. It is important to note, that the answers range from 0-4 (ints only), as such, if you are in the positive category (74 or above) and answer is equal to 0, you will return the String “As I see it, yes.”

Here are the different answer options in order (0-4) for each category:

Positive (>= 74)

• As I see it, yes.
• Signs point to yes.
• Outlook good.
• Without a doubt.
• You may rely on it.

Unsure (24-73)

• Reply hazy, try again.
• Ask again later.
• Better not tell you now.
• Cannot predict now.
• Concentrate and ask again.

Negative Answers (< 24)

• Don’t count on it.
• My reply is no.
• My sources say no.
• Outlook not so good.
• Very doubtful.

Using this knowledge, build your if/else statements (note, you will need to use nested if statements) to return an answer based on the combination.

CODE:

import java.util.Random;
import java.util.Scanner;

/**
*
* Basic magic 8 ball, with an equal number of options in each category. Teaches
* basic if / else statements.
*
*
* @author MARGOT NAFF
* MGNAFF@RAMS.COLOSTATE.EDU
* Computer Science Department
* Colorado State University
* @version 201990
*/
public class EightBall {
private static Scanner scanner = new Scanner(System.in);
private static Random rnd = new Random();

// STUDENT CODE HERE
  
  
  

// ************** don't modify below this line ************************
public static void main(String[] args) {
printSpash();
run();
}

public static void printSpash() {
System.out.println("88888888888888888888");
System.out.println("8 Magic 8 Ball 8");
System.out.println("8 Ask away 8");
System.out.println("88888888888888888888");
System.out.println("\nAnd the answer is...\n");
}

public static void run() {
int cat = rnd.nextInt(100);
int an = rnd.nextInt(5);
System.out.println("category num: " + cat + " answer num: " + an);
System.out.println(getAnswer(cat, an)); // gets 0-99 and 0-4 (one less than what you put in)
System.out.println();
System.out.print("Ask another question (Yes/No?): ");
String input = scanner.nextLine();
if(input.toLowerCase().startsWith("n")) { // this ia fun trick, worth remembering it.
System.out.println("Thank you for playing!");
return;
}
System.out.println("\nAnd the answer is...\n");
run(); // continue looping!
}

}

Answer 1

Code to write method getAnswer()

1. Method getAnswer(int category, int answer)

This method accepts two int parameters and returns a string value to the main function according to the values of parameters accepted.

The method used nested if conditions to find and return the answer value.

public static String getAnswer(int category, int answer) {
//Variable Declarations
String categ ="" ; //To store category
String retanswer ="" ; //Stores answer to return

// if statements here
//To Check Category
if(category>=74)
{
categ ="Positive" ;

//If statements to check answers of category
if(answer==0) retanswer = "As I see it, yes.";
else if (answer==1) retanswer = "Signs point to yes.";
else if (answer==2) retanswer = "Outlook good.";
else if (answer==3) retanswer = "Without a doubt.";
else if (answer==4) retanswer = "You may rely on it.";

}
else if(category>23 && category<74)
{
categ ="Unsure" ;
if(answer==0) retanswer = "Reply hazy, try again.";
else if (answer==1) retanswer = "Ask again later.";
else if (answer==2) retanswer = "Better not tell you now.";
else if (answer==3) retanswer = "Cannot predict now.";
else if (answer==4) retanswer = "Concentrate and ask again.";
}
else if(category<24)
{
categ ="Negative" ;
if(answer==0) retanswer = "Don’t count on it.";
else if (answer==1) retanswer = "My reply is no.";
else if (answer==2) retanswer = "My sources say no.";
else if (answer==3) retanswer = "Outlook not so good.";
else if (answer==4) retanswer = "Very doubtful.";
}

//Returns answer to Main function
return retanswer;
}

2. Complete java program to test the above code

import java.util.Random;
import java.util.Scanner;

/**
*
* Basic magic 8 ball, with an equal number of options in each category. Teaches
* basic if / else statements.
*
*
* @author MARGOT NAFF
* MGNAFF@RAMS.COLOSTATE.EDU
* Computer Science Department
* Colorado State University
* @version 201990
*/
public class EightBall{
private static Scanner scanner = new Scanner(System.in);
private static Random rnd = new Random();

// STUDENT CODE HERE
//Function to getAnswer by accepting two int parameters and returns a string value
public static String getAnswer(int category, int answer) {
//Variable Declarations
String categ ="" ; //To store category
String retanswer ="" ; //Stores answer to return

// if statements here
//To Check Category
if(category>=74)
{
categ ="Positive" ;

//If statements to check answers of category
if(answer==0) retanswer = "As I see it, yes.";
else if (answer==1) retanswer = "Signs point to yes.";
else if (answer==2) retanswer = "Outlook good.";
else if (answer==3) retanswer = "Without a doubt.";
else if (answer==4) retanswer = "You may rely on it.";

}
else if(category>23 && category<74)
{
categ ="Unsure" ;
if(answer==0) retanswer = "Reply hazy, try again.";
else if (answer==1) retanswer = "Ask again later.";
else if (answer==2) retanswer = "Better not tell you now.";
else if (answer==3) retanswer = "Cannot predict now.";
else if (answer==4) retanswer = "Concentrate and ask again.";
}
else if(category<24)
{
categ ="Negative" ;
if(answer==0) retanswer = "Don’t count on it.";
else if (answer==1) retanswer = "My reply is no.";
else if (answer==2) retanswer = "My sources say no.";
else if (answer==3) retanswer = "Outlook not so good.";
else if (answer==4) retanswer = "Very doubtful.";
}

//Returns answer to Main function
return retanswer;
}

   

// ************** don't modify below this line ************************

public static void main(String []args){
// System.out.println("Hello World");
printSpash();
run();
}

public static void printSpash() {
System.out.println("88888888888888888888");
System.out.println("8 Magic 8 Ball 8");
System.out.println("8 Ask away 8");
System.out.println("88888888888888888888");
System.out.println("\nAnd the answer is...\n");
}

public static void run() {
int cat = rnd.nextInt(100);
int an = rnd.nextInt(5);
System.out.println("category num: " + cat + " answer num: " + an);
System.out.println(getAnswer(cat, an)); // gets 0-99 and 0-4 (one less than what you put in)
System.out.println();
System.out.print("Ask another question (Yes/No?): ");
String input = scanner.nextLine();
if(input.toLowerCase().startsWith("n")) { // this ia fun trick, worth remembering it.
System.out.println("Thank you for playing!");
return;
}
System.out.println("\nAnd the answer is...\n");
run(); // continue looping!
}
}

Output Screen

Program Screens