Question

java: can anyone explain. why does my code print out ##### and ***** instead of just #####?

int a=1, b=2, c=3;
  
if(a<b)
System.out.println("####");
else
System.out.println("&&&&");
System.out.println("****");

Answer 1

Answer :

int a=1, b=2, c=3;
  

if(a<b) // STATEMENT 1
System.out.println("####");    // STATEMENT 2
else     // STATEMENT 3
System.out.println("&&&&");    // STATEMENT 4
System.out.println("****");    // STATEMENT 5

EXPLANATION :

Here, STATEMENT 1,  holds true ie. ( 1 < 2 ) , then the  STATEMENT 2 executes . So, it will print #####

And , STATEMENT 3 and STATEMENT 4 , will not executed as " if " condition holds true. But STATEMENT 5 will be displayed , because there is no braces around the else statement , hence by default only the STATEMENT 4 will be considered as a part of else statement  and not the STATEMENT 5.

Hence, it will also print *****

Hence, it will print both ##### and ***** instead of just #####.

BUT , IF WE WANT TO PRINT ONLY #####. ( We have to put curly braces around else statment ).

THE CODE changes to :

int a = 1, b = 2, c = 3;

if (a < b)
   System.out.println("####");
else {
   System.out.println("&&&&");
   System.out.println("****");
}

OUPTUT OF UPDATED CODE :