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Subgoals

Section 1.26 Worked Example: Boolean Relations

Subgoals for evaluating an assignment statement.

  1. Determine resultant data type of expression
  2. Update variable for pre operators based on side effect
  3. Solve arithmetic equation, operator precedence
  4. If = statement, is Left Hand Side (LHS) a variable? Check data type of copied value against data type of variable
  5. Update variable for post operators based on side effect

Subsection 1.26.1

Given the following code snippet, evaluate the final statement (the last line). If invalid, give the reason. If valid, what value is assigned to the variable?
int alpha = 42, beta = 1, gamma = 5;
boolean result;

result = beta <= gamma && gamma <= alpha;

Subsection 1.26.2 SG1 : Determine resultant data type of expression

First, note that alpha, beta, and gamma are all integers.
In the final statement, the <= operator is valid to compare primitive types, and produces boolean results, which are then used with the && operator to produce one final boolean.
(You may wish to keep a precedence and associativity reference handy, until you have memorized the order of operations for boolean operators.)

Subsection 1.26.3 SG2: Update variables for any pre-increment or pre-decrement operators (side effects)

NOT USED IN THIS EXAMPLE

Subsection 1.26.4 SG3: Evaluate arithmetic expression according to operator precedence

Substitute the values for the variables on the RHS and evaluate according to the order of operations.
beta <= gamma && gamma <= alpha
1 <= 5 && 5 <= 42
true && true
true

Subsection 1.26.5 SG4: If an assignment statement (=), is Left Hand Side (LHS) a variable? Check data type of value against data type of variable.

The LHS is a variable of type boolean, and the RHS is type boolean. This is valid.

Subsection 1.26.6 SG5: Update variable for post-increment or post-decrement operators (side effect)

NOT USED IN THIS EXAMPLE

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