Palindrome question

Hi,
I am working on a class that has to decide whether given number is palindrome or not. I need to consider two cases - when input is integer, but defined as a String and when input is defined as a number.
I am done with the first case - when the input is considered as a String.
Regarding the numerical input I have no idea where to start from. I want to try do it myself first before asking you, guys for advice.
So about the input, interpreted as a String.

Code:

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public static void main(String[] args) {
       
       
        Scanner input = new Scanner(System.in);
        System.out.print("Enter number: ");
        int num = input.nextInt();
       
        String str = String.valueOf(num);
               
        StringBuilder sb1 = new StringBuilder(str);
        StringBuilder sb2 = sb1.reverse();
               
        if( sb2.toString().equals(str) )
            System.out.print("\nPalindrome");
        else
            System.out.print("Not palindrome");

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This code is fine.

But when I change the if to

Code:

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if( sb2.equals(sb1))
            System.out.print("\nPalindrome");

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it always gives me that the number is a palindrome even if it is not.
Why is that?

The StringBuilder.reverse() method returns the characters in the buffer/builder itself and it also returns the same StringBuilder; you could've written this instead:

Code:

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StringBuilder sb1 = new StringBuilder(str);
sb1.reverse();
StringBuilder sb2 = sb1;

---

The last line of the code now clearly shows that both sb1 and sb2 refer to the same StringBuilder object (so they're definitely equal).

kind regards,

Jos

Quote:

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StringBuilder java.lang.StringBuilder.reverse()
Reverses the order of characters in this StringBuilder.

Returns:
this StringBuilder

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Because; sb1 & sb2 are same. Reverse method doesn't create and return a new instance of StringBuilder.

Quote:

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Regarding the numerical input I have no idea where to start from

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First you need to decide how the number is to be represented. In binary bit by bit,
or as a String in some base, normally 10 but could be any base.

Thanks to everyone for the replies.I have been very busy today and didn't really have time to check out what you have said.Hopefully I will have more time tomorrow.

Luke

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Norm

First you need to decide how the number is to be represented. In binary bit by bit,
or as a String in some base, normally 10 but could be any base.

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When you say "as a String in some base, normally 10" you mean whether I am going to use % 10 or another base?

I was asking how you represent the number. The number fifteen is 15 or 017 or 0x0F or 00001111 depending on the base.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Norm

I was asking how you represent the number. The number fifteen is 15 or 017 or 0x0F or 00001111 depending on the base.

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You were asking me if it was going to be decimal, hexadecimal etc. number. I am sorry, I didn't understand you, Norm.
It is a decimal number.

Based on my research I noticed the first step in resolving that task is to have input_number % 10.
And I guess I have to do

Code:

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for( int i = 0; i <= input_number; i++ )

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But that's all I can think of... Any hints?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by luke

Based on my research I noticed the first step in resolving that task is to have input_number % 10.
And I guess I have to do

Code:

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for( int i = 0; i <= input_number; i++ )

---

But that's all I can think of... Any hints?

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Indeed, when you n%10 a number n you get the rightmost digit of that number; n/10 removes the rightmost digit from that number. btw doing r*10+d adds a digit d to a number r (<--- hint hint).

kind regards,

Jos

Why not convert the number to a String and treat it like any other String vs doing the arithmetic stuff?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Norm

Why not convert the number to a String and treat it like any other String vs doing the arithmetic stuff?

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I already did it. Now I want to do it when the input is a decimal number.

Explain the difference between a String of letters and a String of digits?
Or is it part of the assignment to work with int values vs Strings?
A palindrome doesn't make sense to me unless you are talking about a String.
Unless you are at the bit level or byte level.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JosAH

Indeed, when you n%10 a number n you get the rightmost digit of that number; n/10 removes the rightmost digit from that number. btw doing r*10+d adds a digit d to a number r (<--- hint hint).

kind regards,

Jos

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Code:

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System.out.print("Enter number: ");
int input_number = input.nextInt();
       
int reversed = 0, n = input_number;
       
for( int i=0; i <= input_number; i++ ) {
      int remainder = input_number % 10;
      input_number = input_number / 10;
      reversed = reversed * 10 + remainder ;
[B][COLOR="Red"] i = 0;[/COLOR][/B]
}

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Why the code doesn't work correctly when I remove i = 0; ?
Also when I enter 00121 (for example) my program tells me it's a palindrome, while it is not.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Norm

Explain the difference between a String of letters and a String of digits?
Or is it part of the assignment to work with int values vs Strings?
A palindrome doesn't make sense to me unless you are talking about a String.
Unless you are at the bit level or byte level.

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There is no difference. I just want to do it with integer values because it's a different approach. And I've found it more interesting than the String representation.

Quote:

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Why the code doesn't work correctly

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Try debugging the code by printing out the values of ALL the variables used as they are changing in the loop.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by luke

Code:

---

System.out.print("Enter number: ");
int input_number = input.nextInt();
       
int reversed = 0, n = input_number;
       
for( int i=0; i <= input_number; i++ ) {
      int remainder = input_number % 10;
      input_number = input_number / 10;
      reversed = reversed * 10 + remainder ;
[B][COLOR="Red"] i = 0;[/COLOR][/B]
}

---

Why the code doesn't work correctly when I remove i = 0; ?
Also when I enter 00121 (for example) my program tells me it's a palindrome, while it is not.

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Because your algoritm doesn't make any sense. Resetting the loop counter i is suspicious to say the least.

kind regards,

Jos

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Norm

Try debugging the code by printing out the values of ALL the variables used as they are changing in the loop.

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Do you know how I can do step execution in Eclipse? I am printing out the variables during execution but when I press Enter after entering the input number it executes the program all at once.

Edit: I've found it but for some reason it is not active.

Edit2: I've found it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JosAH

Because your algoritm doesn't make any sense. Resetting the loop counter i is suspicious to say the least.

kind regards,

Jos

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Actually this is not my algorithm. I found it somewhere in the Web. I tried to find the algorithm but while I was looking for it I found this code. I thought if I understand what the code does I would understand how the algorithm works.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JosAH

Because your algoritm doesn't make any sense. Resetting the loop counter i is suspicious to say the least.

kind regards,

Jos

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To me this i = 0; should not be there. I did step execution and the counter just gets crazy values.
Anyway, I've found a way. Thanks, guys.