Chapter 8: Problem 6

What happens in Java when a program tries to use a subscript that is out-of- bounds?

Short Answer

Expert verified

Your answer should mention the exception thrown, an example demonstrating the issue, and how to handle the exception using a try-catch block.

Step by step solution

Introduction to Arrays in Java

In Java, arrays are used to store multiple values of the same data type in a single variable. Each value in an array can be accessed through an index or subscript, starting from 0 and ending with the array's length minus 1.

Consequence of Using an Out-Of-Bounds Subscript

When a Java program tries to access an array element using a subscript that is outside the valid range (less than 0 or greater than or equal to the array's length), Java throws an "ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException". This is a type of exception that indicates that the program has attempted to access an invalid array index.

Understanding Exceptions

An exception is an event that occurs during the execution of the program which disrupts the normal flow of instructions. If not properly handled, exceptions can cause the program to terminate abnormally.

Example of ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException

Consider the following Java code snippet: ``` int[] numbers = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5}; int invalidValue = numbers[5]; ``` In this example, the `numbers` array has 5 elements, so the valid subscripts range from 0 to 4. However, the second line attempts to access an element with the subscript 5, which is out-of-bounds. This causes an `ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException` to be thrown.

Handling ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException

To handle an exception such as `ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException`, you can use a try-catch block. This allows the program to continue executing normally even if an exception occurs. Here is an example demonstrating how to use a try-catch block: ```java int[] numbers = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5}; try { int invalidValue = numbers[5]; } catch (ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException e) { System.out.println("An error occurred: " + e.getMessage()); } ``` In this modified example, if an `ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException` occurs, it will be caught by the catch block, and a message will be displayed to the user indicating an error occurred, without causing the entire program to terminate abnormally.

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What happens in Java when a program tries to use a subscript that is out-of- bounds?

Short Answer

Step by step solution

Introduction to Arrays in Java

Consequence of Using an Out-Of-Bounds Subscript

Understanding Exceptions

Example of ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException

Handling ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException

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