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Java Java Objects (Retired) Creating the MVP Comparing Characters

Posted by Aaron Arkie
Aaron Arkie
5,345 Points

[SOLVED]Stumped on this challenge.

I have modeled an assistant for a tech conference. Since there are so many attendees, registration is broken up into two lines. Lines are determined by last name, and they will end up in line 1 or line 2. Please help me fix the getLineFor method.

Can anyone lend a hand? Dont want answers just a guide to a correct one. thanks in advance!

ConferenceRegistrationAssistant.java 
public class ConferenceRegistrationAssistant {

  public int getLineFor(String lastName) {
    /* If the last name is between A thru M send them to line 1
       Otherwise send them to line 2 */


    int line = 0;
    return line;
  }

}
Aaron Arkie
Aaron Arkie
5,345 Points

Am I on the right track?

ConferenceRegistrationAssistant.java 
public class ConferenceRegistrationAssistant {

  public int getLineFor(String lastName) {
    /* If the last name is between A thru M send them to line 1
       Otherwise send them to line 2 */


    int line = 0;

char letter = lastName.indexOf(0);
    if('A'<'M'){
     line = 1; 
    } else {
      line = 2;
    }
    return line;
  }

}
boog690
boog690
8,987 Points

You're on the right track. Why are you comparing 'A' to 'M'? Maybe we should compare something else to 'M'?

Aaron Arkie
Aaron Arkie
5,345 Points

I was also given :

NEW INFO: chars can be compared using the > and < symbols. For instance 'B' > 'A' and 'R' < 'Z'

Aaron Arkie
Aaron Arkie
5,345 Points

Do you mean substitute something else for M?

boog690
boog690
8,987 Points

That's right. Characters can be compared to other characters. Booleans will be returned based on their position in the English alphabet.

Again, perhaps 'A' shouldn't be what we use to place attendees on a specific line. The exercise asks us to assign line number based on the first letter of the last name.

Aaron Arkie
Aaron Arkie
5,345 Points

So if a is the first letter of the english alphabet is its value = 1? So if I said

If('A' <13) { Line = 1; }

would that be okay? Also does the if statement recognize 'A' as a char or do I have to state its type in the statement? I appreciate your patience and time for your help.

boog690
boog690
8,987 Points

You don't have to use numbers here. Java knows 'A' is a char.

We want to use the first letter of the String lastName. You saved this char in your variable letter. Why not test if THAT letter is less than 'M'. If it's less than 'M', we do one thing. Otherwise, we do another.

Aaron Arkie
Aaron Arkie
5,345 Points

Awesome thanks! When I get home ill try it out! Thanks again!

EDIT* So as you plainly laid it out i followed your instructions however i am still not getting it here is my code.

public class ConferenceRegistrationAssistant {

  public int getLineFor(String lastName) {
    /* If the last name is between A thru M send them to line 1
       Otherwise send them to line 2 */
    int line = 0;
    char letter = lastName.indexOf(0);
    if(letter < 'M'){
      line = 1;
    } 
    if('M' > letter){
     line = 2; 
    }
    return line;
  }

}
Aaron Arkie
Aaron Arkie
5,345 Points

Okay i got it. i had lastName.indexOf(); when it should read lastName.charAt(). Wrong method! thanks again!

boog690
boog690
8,987 Points

Great! Glad you got it! I didn't catch that you used the wrong method, either. Sorry.

6 Answers

Cristiano Monteiro
Cristiano Monteiro
5,942 Points
Cristiano Monteiro
Cristiano Monteiro
5,942 Points 
public class ConferenceRegistrationAssistant {

  public int getLineFor(String lastName) {
    int line = 0; 

    if(lastName.charAt(0) < 'M'){
      line = 1;
    } else {
     line = 2; 
    }
    return line;
  }

}



          ```
Andrei Villasana
Andrei Villasana
4,244 Points
Andrei Villasana
Andrei Villasana
4,244 Points

This is what I used~ And it worked perfectly fine.

public class ConferenceRegistrationAssistant {

  public int getLineFor(String lastName) {
    /* If the last name is between A thru M send them to line 1
       Otherwise send them to line 2 */
    int line = 0;
    char lastNameChar = lastName.charAt(0);
    if (lastNameChar <= 'M') {
      line = 1;
    }
    else {
      line = 2;
    }

    return (line);
  }

}
tapiwa chauruka
tapiwa chauruka
2,502 Points

i did the same too and it worked. thanx

micram1001
micram1001
33,833 Points
micram1001
micram1001
33,833 Points

char letter = lastName.charAt(0); not char letter = lastName.indexOf(0);

Hugo Davis
Hugo Davis
1,234 Points

if(letter < 'N')

not: if(letter < 'M')

Saad Khan Malik
Saad Khan Malik
25,199 Points
Saad Khan Malik
Saad Khan Malik
25,199 Points 
public class ConferenceRegistrationAssistant {

  public int getLineFor(String lastName) {
       /* If the last name is between A thru M send them to line 1
       Otherwise send them to line 2 */
    int line = 0;
    char letter = lastName.indexAt(0);
    if(letter < 'M'){
      line = 1;
    } else {
     line = 2; 
    }
    return line;
  }
}
Charles Robinson
Charles Robinson
4,152 Points
Charles Robinson
Charles Robinson
4,152 Points

To clean up your code a little bit you could take out the if statement for the second line and just put else like this:

public class ConferenceRegistrationAssistant {

  public int getLineFor(String lastName) {
       /* If the last name is between A thru M send them to line 1
       Otherwise send them to line 2 */
    int line = 0;
    char letter = lastName.indexOf(0);
    if(letter < 'M'){
      line = 1;
    } else {
     line = 2; 
    }
    return line;
  }

}
Gonzalo Torres del Fierro
PLUS
Gonzalo Torres del Fierro
Courses Plus Student 16,751 Points
Gonzalo Torres del Fierro
Gonzalo Torres del Fierro
Courses Plus Student 16,751 Points

public class ConferenceRegistrationAssistant {

public int getLineFor(String lastName) { /* If the last name is between A thru M send them to line 1 Otherwise send them to line 2 */ int line; if(lastName.charAt(0)<='M'){ line = 1; } else { line =2; }return line; } }