Question

Consider the following two code segments, which are both intended to determine the longest of the three strings "pea", "pear", and "pearl" that occur in String str. For example, if str has the value "the pear in the bowl", the code segments should both print "pear" and if str has the value "the pea and the pearl", the code segments should both print "pearl". Assume that str contains at least one instance of "pea".

I.

if (str.indexOf("pea") >= 0)

{

System.out.println("pea");

}

else if (str.indexOf("pear") >= 0)

{

System.out.println("pear");

}

else if (str.indexOf("pearl") >= 0)

{

System.out.println("pearl");

}

II.

if (str.indexOf("pearl") >= 0)

{

System.out.println("pearl");

}

else if (str.indexOf("pear") >= 0)

{

System.out.println("pear");

}

else if (str.indexOf("pea") >= 0)

{

System.out.println("pea");

}

Which of the following best describes the output produced by code segment I and code segment II?

Both code segment I and code segment II produce correct output for all values of str.

Neither code segment I nor code segment II produce correct output for all values of str.

Code segment II produces correct output for all values of str, but code segment I produces correct output only for values of str that contain "pear" but not "pearl".

Code segment II produces correct output for all values of str, but code segment I produces correct output only for values of str that contain "pearl".

Code segment II produces correct output for all values of str, but code segment I produces correct output only for values of str that contain "pea" but not "pear".

Answer 1

Code segment II produces correct output for all values of str, but code segment I produces correct output only for values of str that contain "pea" but not "pear".

Step-by-step explanation:

The main issue with the first code segment is the way how the if else if condition are arranged. The "pea" is checked at the earliest time in the first code segment and therefore so long as there is the "pea" exist in the string (regardless there is pear or pearl exist in the string as well), the if condition will become true and display "pea" to terminal. This is the reason why the code segment 1 only work for the values of str that contain "pea".