Answer:
When
value = 32912;
is executed
nothing new is created.
A bit pattern representing 32912 is stored in value.
Two Types of Assignment Statements
There is a difference between the statements:
value = 32912;
and
str = new String( "The Gingham Dog" );
In the first statement, value is a primitive type,
so the assigment statement puts the data directly into it.
In the second statement, str is an object reference variable
(the only other possibility)
so a reference to the object is put into that variable.
There are only primitive variables and object reference variables, and each contains a specific kind of information:
| Information it Contains | When on the left of = | |
|---|---|---|
| primitive variable | Contains actual data. | Previous data is replaced with new data. |
| reference variable | Contains information on how to find an object (a reference). | Old reference is replaced with a new reference |
How do you tell the two kinds of variables apart? Easy: look at how the variable is declared. Unless it was declared to be of a primitive type, it is an object reference variable. A variable will not change its declared type.
QUESTION 9:
How are the following variables declared? Click on the button of your choice.