non working code :S

public static double averageLength()
{
int count = 0; // to hold the number of words input
int numberOfCharacters = 0; // to hold the total number of characters
String word = "" ; // to hold each word as it is input
{
while (!word.equals("*")) // loop until the word input is "*"
word = OUDialog.request("Please enter next word"); //input the next word
numberOfCharacters = numberOfCharacters + (word.length()); // add its length onto the number of characters
count++; // add 1 to the number of words
}
return numberOfCharacters / count; // calculate the average by diving the number of characters
// by the number of words and return the average
}

here is my code, its meant to return the average number of letters from the words entered but i can't get it to return anything other than 1.0. without changing the whole thing to an if loop or something.

any ideas??

Ok first thing you should do is change

Code:

---

int count = 0;
int numberOfCharacters = 0;

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to

Code:

---

double count = 0;
double numberOfCharacters = 0;

---

Since you are returning a double and i assume you would like the average to a decimal place.
Next, can you give me an example of the inputs you are giving to OUDialog.request().
(ie. the list of words you are inputting).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jhuber151

Ok first thing you should do is change

Code:

---

int count = 0;
int numberOfCharacters = 0;

---

to

Code:

---

double count = 0;
double numberOfCharacters = 0;

---

Since you are returning a double and i assume you would like the average to a decimal place.
Next, can you give me an example of the inputs you are giving to OUDialog.request().
(ie. the list of words you are inputting).

---

Ok made those changes, the inputs are just any words really, inputting one word such as "this" then pressing ok, inputting another word "that" and then * to finish.

So its a little issue that you have with the code. You are missing brackets around the while loop.

Code:

---

while (!word.equals("*")) // loop until the word input is "*"
{ //<-- BRACKETS AROUND BODY OF LOOP
word = OUDialog.request("Please enter next word"); //input the next word
numberOfCharacters = numberOfCharacters + (word.length()); // add its length onto the number of characters
count++; // add 1 to the number of words
} //<-- BRACKETS AROUND BODY OF LOOP

---

Without the brackets a loop statement or if statement only run the next line. Therefore only the request will run until you hit "*" and then it will only count the number of letters there which will be 1 for "*". After the brackets are placed in it works fine. Also you should put in a check so that the program doesn't count the "*" as a letter, since it is counting it in numberOfCharacters and in the word count.

@world - You could do this by placing the names into an array or vector, then remove the last component of that vector

Code:

---

while(!word.equals("*"))
{
//PLACE IN AN VECTOR
}
vector.remove(vector.size()-1); // THIS WILL REMOVE THE LAST COMPONENT OF THE VECTOR

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How are you storing the names?

So after you read in the request do some kind of check like

Code:

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if(!(name.equals("*"))
{
 //DO SOMETHING
}

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