Unit 5: Writing Classes

Question 1

Class

Answer 1

A blueprint or template for creating objects in object-oriented programming. It defines the properties and behaviors that an object of that class will have.

Question 2

Global Scope

Answer 2

Refers to the area outside of any blocks or functions where variables are defined. Variables declared in the global scope can be accessed from anywhere in the program.

Question 3

Instance Variable

Answer 3

A variable that belongs to an object and holds unique data for each instance of the class. It is declared within a class but outside any method.

Question 4

Local Scope

Answer 4

An area within a specific block or function where variables are defined and accessible. Variables declared inside this local scope cannot be accessed outside of it.

Question 5

Methods

Answer 5

Functions defined within a class that perform specific tasks or actions when called upon by an object. They can manipulate data, interact with other objects, or return values.

Question 6

Mutator Methods (Setters)

Answer 6

Methods in object-oriented programming that allow the modification of an object’s attributes or properties. They provide a way to update the values of private instance variables within a class.

Question 7

Object

Answer 7

An instance of a class that represents a specific entity or thing in a program. It contains both data (attributes) and behavior (methods).

Question 8

Private

Answer 8

In the context of programming, refers to a visibility modifier that restricts access to certain variables or methods within a class. It means that only other members of the same class can access those private elements.

Question 9

public

Answer 9

An access modifier in Java that indicates unrestricted visibility for classes, methods, and variables. Public members can be accessed from any other class or package.

Question 10

Scope

Answer 10

Refers to the visibility and accessibility of variables, functions, and objects within a program. It determines where in the code these entities can be accessed and used.

Question 11

Static Methods

Answer 11

Methods that belong to the class itself, rather than an instance of the class. They can be called directly using the class name without creating an object of the class.

Question 12

Static Variables

Answer 12

Variables that belong to the class itself, rather than an instance of the class. They are shared by all instances of the class and can be accessed without creating an object of the class.

Question 13

this keyword

Answer 13

Refers to the current object within an instance method or constructor. It can be used to refer explicitly to instance variables or invoke other constructors within the same class.

Question 14

Variables

Answer 14

Named storage locations in computer memory that hold values which can be changed during program execution.

Question 15

Abstraction

Answer 15

The process of simplifying complex systems by focusing on essential features while hiding unnecessary details. It allows programmers to work with high-level concepts without worrying about implementation specifics.

Question 16

Behaviors

Answer 16

Refer to the actions or operations that an object can perform. They are defined as methods within a class and allow objects to interact with each other and manipulate data.

Question 17

Default Constructor

Answer 17

A special type of constructor that is automatically created by the compiler if no other constructors are defined in a class. It initializes the object’s instance variables with default values.

Question 18

Encapsulation

Answer 18

Refers to the bundling of data and methods within a class, where the data is hidden from external access. It ensures that an object’s internal state remains consistent by controlling how it can be accessed or modified.

Question 19

Get Method (Accessor)

Answer 19

A method used to retrieve the value of an object’s private instance variable. It provides read-only access to the data stored in the object.

Question 20

Instance Variables

Answer 20

Variables declared within a class but outside any method. They hold unique values for each instance (object) of the class and define the state or characteristics of an object.

Question 21

Overloading constructors

Answer 21

Refers to the ability to have multiple constructors in a class, each with a different set of parameters. This allows objects to be created with different initial states or configurations.

Question 22

Parameterized Constructor

Answer 22

A special type of constructor that allows you to pass arguments when creating an object. It initializes the object’s instance variables with specific values based on those arguments.

Question 23

Set Method (Mutator)

Answer 23

A method in object-oriented programming that allows the modification of an object’s attributes or properties. It is used to update the values of instance variables within an object.

Question 24

Assignment

Answer 24

The act of giving a value to a variable in programming. It involves storing information into memory locations so it can be accessed and manipulated later.

Question 25

Constructor

Answer 25

A special method within a class that is used to initialize objects of that class. It is called automatically when an object is created and helps set initial values for its attributes.

Question 26

String

Answer 26

A sequence of characters, such as letters, numbers, and symbols, that is used to represent text in programming. It is often enclosed in quotation marks.

Question 27

Mutable Object

Answer 27

An object whose state can be modified after it is created. In other words, you can change the values of its attributes or properties.

Question 28

Object’s State

Answer 28

Refers to the set of values stored in its instance variables at any given time during program execution. It represents the current condition or snapshot of an object’s data.

Question 29

Student

Answer 29

An individual who is enrolled in a school or educational institution and is actively pursuing knowledge and education.

Question 30

Postconditions

Answer 30

Conditions or requirements that must hold true after a certain action or function has been executed. They define what should be expected as a result of running the code.

Question 31

Preconditions

Answer 31

Conditions or requirements that must be met before a certain action or function can be executed. They ensure that the necessary conditions are in place for the code to run correctly.

Question 32

Throw Statements

Answer 32

Used in Java to manually throw an exception. They allow you to create and throw your own custom exceptions or propagate existing ones.

Question 33

Try-Catch

Answer 33

A programming construct used to handle exceptions or errors that may occur during runtime. The code within the “try” block is executed, and if an exception occurs, it is caught and handled in the “catch” block.

Question 34

@Override

Answer 34

Annotation used in Java to indicate that a method in a subclass is intended to override a method with the same name in its superclass. It helps ensure that the method signature and return type are correct.

Question 35

Accessor Methods

Answer 35

A type of method in object-oriented programming that allows the retrieval of the value of an object’s private data member. They provide read-only access to the internal state of an object.

Question 36

Assignment Class

Answer 36

Refers to a class used to store values assigned to variables. It is commonly used in programming to hold and manipulate data.

Question 37

Assignment constructor

Answer 37

A special type of constructor in object-oriented programming that initializes an object’s instance variables with values provided by the user at the time of object creation.

Question 38

correctAnswer

Answer 38

Refers to the accurate response to a question or problem in a given context.

Question 39

name

Answer 39

The name refers to a unique identifier given to an entity, such as a variable or a method, in a programming language. It helps distinguish one entity from another.

Question 40

Non-void methods

Answer 40

Functions in programming that return a value after performing a specific task or calculation.

Question 41

Private Variables

Answer 41

Variables that can only be accessed and modified within the same class they are declared in. They provide encapsulation and help maintain data integrity by preventing direct access from other classes.

Question 42

Return Statement

Answer 42

Used in functions/methods to specify what value should be sent back as output when the function is called. It terminates the execution of a function and returns control back to where it was called from.

Question 43

Return Type

Answer 43

In programming refers to the data type of the value that a method or function will return when it is called. It specifies what kind of data will be returned by the method.

Question 44

String Concatenation

Answer 44

The process of combining two or more strings together into one longer string. It is achieved using the “+” operator in most programming languages.

Question 45

Student class

Answer 45

A blueprint or template that defines the properties and behaviors of a student object. It specifies what data (such as name, grade level) and methods (such as calculateGPA()) a student object can have.

Question 46

Student constructor

Answer 46

A specific type of constructor used to create objects representing students. It initializes instance variables related to student attributes such as name, age, grade level, etc., when creating new student objects.

Question 47

Immutable

Answer 47

Refers to an object or data structure that cannot be changed after it is created. Once created, its state remains constant throughout its lifetime.

Question 48

Mutator Methods

Answer 48

Special types of methods in object-oriented programming that allow modification or mutation of an object’s attributes or properties.

Question 49

setGradeLevel method

Answer 49

A function or method used in programming to update or change the grade level attribute or property of an object. It allows you to modify the grade level associated with a particular object.

Question 50

setName method

Answer 50

Typically used in programming to set or change the name attribute or property of an object. It allows you to update or modify the name associated with an object.

Question 51

Setter Methods

Answer 51

A type of method in object-oriented programming that allows the modification or update of the values of instance variables within an object.

Question 52

toString method

Answer 52

A built-in method in Java that converts an object into a string representation. It returns a string that represents the value of the object.

Question 53

Void Methods

Answer 53

Methods in programming that do not return a value. They perform a specific task or action, but they do not produce any output.

Question 54

access modifier

Answer 54

Used in programming languages to control the visibility and accessibility of variables, methods, and classes within different parts of code. It determines whether other parts of code can access and modify certain elements.

Question 55

boolean

Answer 55

A data type that can only have two possible values - true or false. It is often used in programming to make decisions and control the flow of a program.

Question 56

getGradeDecimal()

Answer 56

A method or function used in programming to retrieve the numerical value of a student’s grade. It returns the grade as a decimal number.

Question 57

int

Answer 57

A primitive data type in Java used to store whole numbers without decimal points. It has a fixed size and represents integer values within a specific range.

Question 58

Javadoc comments

Answer 58

Special comments in Java that begin with /** and end with */. They are used to generate documentation for classes, methods, and fields, making it easier for other developers (including yourself) to understand how to use them.

Question 59

Pass-by-value

Answer 59

The method of passing arguments to functions or methods by creating copies of their values instead of directly passing references to them.

Question 60

protected

Answer 60

In programming, this is an access modifier that grants accessibility to members within subclasses or classes within the same package.

Question 61

public class

Answer 61

A class that can be accessed and used by any other class or program. It serves as the blueprint for creating objects and contains variables and methods.

Question 62

returnCurrentAssignment()

Answer 62

This term refers to a method in programming that retrieves the current assignment. It is used to access and display the details of the assignment that is currently being worked on.

Question 63

setGradeLevel()

Answer 63

In programming, a method used to assign or update the grade level of an individual. It allows you to specify which grade level someone belongs to within your program.

Question 64

setName()

Answer 64

A function or method used in programming to assign or change the name associated with an object or variable. It allows you to update or set a new name for an entity within your program.

Question 65

Static

Answer 65

In programming, this refers to a variable or method that belongs to the class itself, rather than an instance of the class. It can be accessed without creating an object of the class.

Question 66

submitAssignment()

Answer 66

Refers to a method or function in programming that allows a user to send their completed work or task for evaluation or processing.

Question 67

toString()

Answer 67

Used to convert an object into a string representation. It returns a string that represents the state of the object.

Question 68

boolean data type

Answer 68

Data type in Java represents one of two possible values - true or false. It is commonly used for conditions and decision-making in programming.

Question 69

Final Keyword

Answer 69

Used in Java to declare constants, make methods unchangeable (cannot be overridden), and prevent inheritance (a final class cannot be extended). Once assigned or declared as final, their values or definitions cannot be changed.

Question 70

getGradeDecimal Method

Answer 70

A function that retrieves the grade for an assignment as a decimal value. It allows users to access and use grades numerically in calculations or comparisons.

Question 71

getGradeLevel method

Answer 71

A function in programming that retrieves the grade level of a student. It returns the grade level as an output.

Question 72

gradeAssignment method

Answer 72

A function in programming that calculates and assigns a grade to a student’s assignment based on certain criteria.

Question 73

Keyword “static”

Answer 73

Used in Java to declare members (variables or methods) that belong to the entire class rather than any specific instance of the class.

Question 74

Private Access Modifier

Answer 74

Used in object-oriented programming to restrict the visibility of a variable or method within a class. It means that the variable or method can only be accessed and modified from within the same class.

Question 75

Public Access Modifier

Answer 75

Used in object-oriented programming to allow unrestricted visibility of a variable or method. It means that the variable or method can be accessed and modified from anywhere, including outside the class.

Question 76

submitAssignment method

Answer 76

A function that allows students to turn in their completed assignments for grading. It typically takes the submitted content as input and updates the status of the assignment.

Question 77

This Reference

Answer 77

Used in Java to refer to the current object on which a method is being called. It can be used to access instance variables, call other methods, or pass the current object as an argument.

Question 78

Method

Answer 78

A named sequence of instructions that can be called or invoked to perform a specific task or action. Methods are used for code reusability, organization, and abstraction.

Question 79

Non-Static Method

Answer 79

A method that belongs to an instance of a class and can only be accessed through an object. It operates on the specific data of that object.

Question 80

Parameters

Answer 80

Variables declared in a method or function that receive values when the method is called. They allow data to be passed into a method, enabling it to perform actions or calculations based on those values.

Question 81

Private Access

Answer 81

Refers to the level of accessibility that restricts a class member from being accessed outside of its own class. It is only accessible within the same class.

Question 82

Public Access

Answer 82

Refers to the visibility and accessibility of a class, method, or variable within a program. When something is declared as public, it can be accessed from anywhere in the program.

Question 83

getLetterGrade method

Answer 83

A function in programming that takes a numerical grade as input and returns the corresponding letter grade. It is commonly used to convert numeric grades into letter grades for reporting purposes.

Question 84

if statement

Answer 84

A programming construct that allows the execution of a block of code only if a certain condition is true.

Question 85

Method Call

Answer 85

Refers to invoking or executing a method in your code. It involves using the method name followed by parentheses and any required arguments inside the parentheses.

Question 86

Mutator

Answer 86

A method in a class that modifies the value of an instance variable. It allows us to change the state of an object after it has been created.

Question 87

newAssignment method

Answer 87

A function that creates a new assignment object with specified parameters. It is used to add assignments to a program or system.

Question 88

Overload Constructors

Answer 88

Refer to having multiple constructors in a class with different parameters. Each constructor can have a unique set of parameters, allowing for flexibility when creating objects.

Question 89

private modifier

Answer 89

An access modifier in object-oriented programming languages that restricts access to members (variables and methods) within a class. Private members can only be accessed from within the same class they are declared in.

Question 90

returnCurrentAssignment method

Answer 90

A function in programming that retrieves the current assignment for a student. It allows the program to access and display the assignment details.

Question 91

static final modifier

Answer 91

Used to declare constants in programming. It indicates that a variable or method belongs to the class itself, rather than an instance of the class, and its value cannot be changed once assigned.

Question 92

Algorithm

Answer 92

Step-by-step procedures or instructions designed to solve specific problems or perform specific tasks.