Question

Write a program that prompts the user for a bearing from 0 to 359 and
prints the corresponding letter of the compass point nearest to the bearing.
Bearings exactly halfway between two compass points should produce
either N or S (never E or W).
For example:
Input of 73 is between N and E, but is closer to E, so the program should output E.
Input of 45 is exactly halfway between N and E, so the program should output N.

Answer 1

So far this is what I have in dr. java. It will run, but it is not returning N S E and W for the entered values
}
public static void main (String [] args) {
char direction;
double userValue;
userValue = 0-359;
if (userValue >= 315 && userValue <= 359 || userValue >=0 && userValue <= 45)
direction = 'N';
if (userValue >= 46 && userValue <= 134)
direction = 'E';
if (userValue >= 135 && userValue <= 225)
direction = 'S';
if (userValue>= 226 && userValue <= 314)
direction = 'W';
else
direction = '?';
}
}

Answer 2

I'm assuming you have a class header above the method header? ie: public class <name>

Answer 3

yes

Answer 4

Also the variable userValue has to have a single value- are you just giving it a range for readability?

Answer 5

yeah, the user is supposed to enter a value 0 - 359 and the program should return 'N' 'S' 'E' or 'W'

Answer 6

ok- the proper char value should be assigned to direction- if you do System.out.println(direction); after your else statement, it should print out properly?

Answer 7

ok so, after each else statement?

Answer 8

So, in your entire block of if statements, only one of them will execute- this depends on what the the user inputs in the variable userValue. After all of your code ( but before the 2 closing bracuts) you know that the right value is assigned to direction. Now, you just need to display the direction- which requires one extra line of code. To display a variable, you have to follow this syntax: System.out.println(enter variable here); so, doing that after your code, and before the 2 closing bracuts, and it should display the proper value.

Answer 9

so in the place where you put (enter variable here) I would put (direction) ?

Answer 10

correct- also, within those same bracuts, you can use that syntax to display whatever you want.. such as--- System.out.println("Hello World"); this will display the famous 'hello world' to he user. But to display a viariable in that statement, you don't need the quotation marks- so to display your variable, you can do-- System.out.println(direction); -- To combine the variable and some text of your own, you can make the program more user friendly-- by doing something like-- System.out.println(userValue + " Degrees Points " + direction + " On a Compass.");

Answer 11

the + operator (an operator performs an operation), in this case, is needed to display both text in quotation marks, and the variables -- it connects them.

Answer 12

Thank you!!! I just tried that and my program compiled and everything but for some reason, when I enter the value, it still just returns that exact value instead of the letter for the corresponding direction.
So when I run it is says:
run In
-359.0 Degrees Points ? On a Compass.
> 227
227

Answer 13

Is this normal?

Answer 14

Do you think userValue = 0-359; may be causing me a problem?

Answer 15

no- I found the issue

Answer 16

If you type in 230 in your program, it should return 'W', right?

Answer 17

No actually it still returns 230 which is strange.

Answer 18

is your last line of code like this: System.out.println(direction); ?

Answer 19

I tried it like this: System.out.println(userValue + " Degrees Points " + direction + " On a Compass."); what you suggested

Answer 20

The issue is with your else statement-- here is the logic flow of your program::
if (in this range)
direction = N
if(in this range)
direction = E
ect...
if(in this range)
direction = W
else
direction = ?

So-- the last 2 statements are an if- else statement. so if you enter a West value, it will be west, and if you don't, it will always be equal to what's in the else statement.

Even if you enter a North value, or a East value, the else statement of direction = ? will always execute

Answer 21

To make a block of if statements- where only one executes, and the rest are ignored, you need slightly different syntax.

an else statement will always execute if the ONE if statement before it is false.

So you want to make it so that the moment one of the directions are true, it will skip the last else statement.

if - else - if statement is what you should have. In this type of statement, (the compiler will always execute the code from top to bottom) the first one that is true will execute, then the rest are ignored.

Answer 22

To use this type of statement- the syntax is as follows:

if(userValue is in N range)
direction = N
else if(userValue is in E range)
direction = E
else if(userValue is in S range)
direction = S
else if(userValue is in W range)
direction = W
else
direction = ?

Answer 23

Let me try that

Answer 24

lemme know if it makes sense too lol. It's important that you understand the why behind the logic

Answer 25

yes, I understand what you were explaining about the if else statements, thank you :) !!! but I just tried that and am still getting the same value returned so I am thinking there might be something else wrong with it

Answer 26

well, hit me up with your new syntax- I'll take a look at it

Answer 27

& good, I'm glad it makes sense

Answer 28

Here is my complete syntax for this program:
import java.io.*;
import java.text.*;

public class In
{
static InputStreamReader r = new InputStreamReader(System.in);
static BufferedReader br = new BufferedReader(r);

// Read a String from standard system input
public static String getString()
{
try
{
return br.readLine();
}
catch (Exception e)
{
return "";
}
}

// Read a Number as a String from standard system input
// Return the Number
public static Number getNumber()
{
String numberString = getString();
try
{
numberString = numberString.trim().toUpperCase();
return NumberFormat.getInstance().parse(numberString );
}
catch (Exception e)
{
// If any exception occurs, just return zero
return new Integer(0);
}
}

// Read an int from standard system input
public static int getInt ()
{
return getNumber().intValue();
}

// Read a long from standard system input
public static long getLong ()
{
return getNumber().longValue();
}

// Read a float from standard system input
public static float getFloat ()
{
return getNumber().floatValue();
}

// Read a double from standard system input
public static double getDouble ()
{
return getNumber().doubleValue();
}

// Read a char from standard system input
public static char getChar ()
{
String s = getString();
if (s.length() >= 1)
return s.charAt(0);
else
return '\n';
}
public static void main (String [] args) {
char direction;
double userValue;
userValue = 0-359;
if (userValue >= 315 && userValue <= 359 || userValue >=0 && userValue <= 45)
direction = 'N';
else if (userValue >= 46 && userValue <= 134)
direction = 'E';
else if (userValue >= 135 && userValue <= 225)
direction = 'S';
else if (userValue>= 226 && userValue <= 314)
direction = 'W';
else
direction = '?';
System.out.println(userValue + " Degrees Points " + direction + " On a Compass.");
}
}

Answer 29

Trying the bottom section of your program, it works perfectly for me-- which means that something outside of it or something in the method header as it relates to the whole program is wrong.

But this syntax alone works:
I didn't change anything- except for the class header which is the same as my program's name.


public class dog {

public static void main (String [] args) {
char direction;
double userValue;
userValue = 44;
if (userValue >= 315 && userValue <= 359 || userValue >=0 && userValue <= 45)
direction = 'N';
else if (userValue >= 46 && userValue <= 134)
direction = 'E';
else if (userValue >= 135 && userValue <= 225)
direction = 'S';
else if (userValue>= 226 && userValue <= 314)
direction = 'W';
else
direction = '?';
System.out.println(userValue + " Degrees Points " + direction + " On a Compass.");
}
}

Answer 30

I'd have a closer look at the other sections of your program, but I'd hardly know any of that syntax lol. I'm learning an entire java book.. only a couple hundred pages in so far.

Answer 31

Lol the first part of the syntax is an "In" file which just came from a site and makes the program work but starting with the public static void line and down is the code that I actually added.

Answer 32

Don't you have an IDE like eclipse / netbeans / jgrasp to write your programs? Or is this some website for schoolwork

Answer 33

yeah I have Dr. Java and I am using the eclipse compiler

Answer 34

I think it might have something to do with me having done the assignment statement for direction = 0-359; and maybe I need a print statement up there or something prompting the user to enter a value?!

Answer 35

oh you weren't changing that value each time you ran the program?
if you ran it with userValue = 0-359; literally, it would always return the same thing.
it would always start the program with userValue = -359; because 0-(minus)359 = -359

Answer 36

Ya, try changing that value to 22 or 55 or 232 or 355 and see how it works-- ie:
userValue = 22;

Answer 37

if you want a random value assigned to userValue in that range- I can show you that as well

Answer 38

OHHHH THANK YOU !!!!!!!! THAT WORKS ! :):):)

Answer 39

AWESOME!

Answer 40

lol

Answer 41

:D

Answer 42

Thank you so much for your help! My teacher could not even explain as well as you did ;)

Answer 43

ya, most of the teachers I've had don't even like their job lol. They just throw textbooks at you and say learn this ect.. If you don't like something, or don't understand where the student is coming from, you can't teach effectively-- thanks for the complement- see ya sciencewiz!

Answer 44

see ya! And thanks :D