Assume that i=1, j=2, k=3 and m=2. What does each of the following statements print? a) System.out.println( i == 1 ); b) System.out.println( j == 3 ); c) System.out.println( ( i >= 1 ) && ( j < 4 ) ); d) System.out.println( ( m <= 99 ) & ( k < m ) ); e) System.out.println( ( j >= i ) || ( k == m ) ); f) System.out.println( (k+m= k ) ); g) System.out.println( !( k > m ) );

Logical operators in Java, such as AND (&&), OR (||), and NOT (!), play a crucial role in executing condition based operations. They are used to connect two or more boolean expressions or values and define the logic between them. For example, the logical AND operator '&&' requires both conditions to be true for the result to be true. If we look at the given exercise, in part c, System.out.println( ( i >= 1 ) && ( j < 4 ) );, the result is true because both individual conditions, i >= 1 and j < 4, evaluate to true. On the other hand, the logical OR operator '||' only requires one of the conditions to be true for the entire expression to yield true. Taking part e as an example, System.out.println( ( j >= i ) || ( k == m ) );, despite the second condition being false, the first condition's truth results in the entire expression being true.

In addition to the basic AND and OR, the NOT operator '!' inverts the truth of a boolean expression. For instance, in part g of our exercise, System.out.println( ! ( k > m ) );, although k > m is true, the NOT operator changes the overall expression's result to false. It's important to understand the distinction between the logical operators '&&' and '||', and their bitwise counterparts '&' and '|'. While the logical operators work on boolean values, bitwise operators perform the operation on individual bits of an integer.

Comparison operators in Java are used to compare two values and determine their relationship. These include equals (==), not equals (!=), greater than (>), less than (<), greater than or equal to (>=), and less than or equal to (<=). They ultimately result in a boolean value, either true or false. In the context of our exercise, we see these comparison operators being used in multiple instances. Part a, System.out.println( i == 1 );, uses the equality operator to check if i equals 1, which is true in this case. Further in part b, System.out.println( j == 3 );, it tests for equality between j and 3, resulting in false since j is 2.

Understanding comparison operators is vital because they form the basis of conditionals in programming, determining which path the program execution will follow based on certain conditions. To improve the exercise, focusing on the nuances of each comparison and its outcome, as seen in the step-by-step analysis, will solidify the student's understanding of these fundamental operators.

Control flow in Java dictates the order in which the code statements are executed. Through mechanisms such as conditionals (if, else-if, else), switch statements, and loops (for, while, do-while), a Java program can make decisions and repeat operations based on dynamic data or logic. The outcome of comparison and logical operations usually directs this control flow. For instance, in the exercise, System.out.println() only prints the result of the logical or comparison operation and doesn’t influence the flow of the program. However, in real-world applications, these expressions would typically be used within if-else statements or loops to control what actions are taken.

For example, if (condition) { ... } would execute the block of code inside the brackets only if the condition evaluates to true. Enhancing the exercise with examples that incorporate these conditionals to demonstrate how the evaluated conditions actually affect the program's execution could help students grasp the concept of control flow more effectively. Conditional logic is not only about evaluating conditions but also about making decisions in the code based on those evaluations, which is at the heart of programming.