Introduction

Most computer programs that solve real-world problems are much larger than the programs presented in the first few chapters of this book. Experience has shown that the best way to develop and maintain a large program is to construct it from small, simple pieces, or modules. This technique is called divide and conquer. We introduced methods in Chapter 3. In Chapter 6, we study methods in more depth. We emphasize how to declare and use methods to facilitate the design, implementation, operation and maintenance of large programs.

You will see that it is possible for certain methods, called static methods, to be called without the need for an object of the class to exist. You will learn how to declare a method with more than one parameter. You will also learn how Java is able to keep track of which method is currently executing, how local variables of methods are maintained in memory and how a method knows where to return after it completes execution.

We will take a brief diversion into simulation techniques with random-number generation and develop a version of the casino dice game called craps that will use most of the programming techniques you have used to this point in the book. In addition, you will learn two techniques for declaring values that cannot change (i.e., constants) in your programs.

Many of the classes you will use or create while developing applications will have more than one method of the same name. This technique, called overloading, is used by programmers to implement methods that perform similar tasks for arguments of different types or possibly for different numbers of arguments.