How do I write a proper else if statement?

Question

I am trying to write a method that finds the smallest out of three numbers. I think something is wrong with the "else if" statement in my code here. It keeps telling me that "variable d may not have been initialized." but I did initialize it. Maybe I wrote the "else if" statement wrong.

public class Solution {
    public static int min(int a, int b, int c) {
        int d;
        if ((a <= b) && (b <= c))
            d = a;
        else if ((a >= b) && (b >= c))
            d = c;

        return d;
    }

    public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
        System.out.println(min(1, 2, 3));
        System.out.println(min(-1, -2, -3));
        System.out.println(min(3, 5, 3));
        System.out.println(min(5, 5, 10));
    }
}

`ind d;` *declares* it. It doesn't initialize it. It looks like you want to initialize it to `b`: `int d = b;` — GBlodgett, Jan 24 '19 at 04:33
Tip: [It's almost always better to use curly braces even if the statement is just one line](https://stackoverflow.com/a/2125078/2431281). [Apple could have prevented a security mishap had they done so](https://embeddedgurus.com/barr-code/2014/03/apples-gotofail-ssl-security-bug-was-easily-preventable/) — Keale, Jan 24 '19 at 04:53

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Jan 24 '19 at 04:43

1

Try this

int d = a;
if (d > b) {
  d = b;
} 
if (d > c) {
  d = c;
}
return d;

The error happened because
int d; declares it and not initialize it.

answered Jan 24 '19 at 04:43

Mangaldeep Pannu

3,738
2
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score 0 · Answer 2 · edited Jan 24 '19 at 05:54

You need to make sure int d is assigned a value before the return statement. Your logic is also wrong and you have missed else statement in your code. You can try the code below:

  public static int min(int a, int b, int c) {

  int d ;
  if ((a <= b) && (a <= c))
      {
      d = a;
      }  
  else if ((a >= b) && (b <= c))
      {
      d = b;
      }
  else
      {
      d=c;
      }

  return d;
}

score -1 · Answer 3 · edited Jan 24 '19 at 08:03

-1

Either initialize int d with a value, and/or include an else statement to assign d encase the return statement throws a null. You should always plan for what happens when your if and if else statements are evaluated as false.

edited Jan 24 '19 at 08:03

barbsan

3,418
11
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28

answered Jan 24 '19 at 04:44

Keenan Buckley

3
1
2

score -6 · Answer 4 · answered Jan 24 '19 at 04:41

-6

Use int d=0;

to intilize d with NULL

Remember: When using elseif{} you must have to endup with else{}

if(condition){

}else if(condition){

}
else{
}

answered Jan 24 '19 at 04:41

Ahmed Waqas

1
1

1

It's incredible how absolutely everything in this answer is wrong. – JJJ Jan 24 '19 at 08:01

How do I write a proper else if statement?

4 Answers4