CODEWITHSUNDEEP
javareturn
Jeff
Jeff

Reputation: 1

error: missing return statement 3

What should I put as my return statement for the method overall since i'm already using return statements in my if/else?

public static boolean rowsAreValid(int[][] array){
        for (int i = 0; i < array.length; i++){
            for (int k = i +1; k < array.length; k++){
                for (int j = 0; j < array[i].length; j++) {
                    // Returns false if the numbers are not the same
                    if (array[i][j] == array[k][j]){
                        System.out.println("false");
                        return false;
                    }
                    //Returns true if numbers are the  same
                    else {
                        System.out.println("true");
                        return true;
                    }
                }
            }
        }
        // RETURN STATEMENT
    }

Upvotes: 0

Views: 45

Answers (2)

Jason Sparc
Jason Sparc

Reputation: 711

Since you want to return true when the numbers are the same, then put in your return statement: return true. Because by reasoning, your numbers will never be not the same.

Also as @blm noted on the comments, I think the snippet in your code:

// Returns false if the numbers are not the same
if (array[i][j] == array[k][j]){
    ...
}

Should be,

// Returns false if the numbers are not the same
if (array[i][j] != array[k][j]){
    ...
}

Because otherwise, your logic would be incorrect.

Upvotes: 0

Brick
Brick

Reputation: 4272

This code is confusing, but at the level of why the compiler complains (without addressing the overall structure of the code): You could have a case where the loops don't execute, and if this happens, your if-else block will never execute and you don't have a return. This will happen, for example, if array.length == 0. You need to decide what the right answer is for this method in those cases and provide a return accordingly.

Upvotes: 2

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