Lecture2Variablesand.PDF

Lecture 2: Variables and Primitive Data Types MIT-AITI Kenya 2005 1 In this lecture, you will learn… • What a variable is – Types of variables – Naming of variables – Variable assignment • What a primitive data type is • Other data types (ex. String) MIT-Africa Internet Technology Initiative 2 ©2005 What is a Variable? • In basic algebra, variables are symbols that can represent values in formulas. • For example the variable x in the formula f(x)=x2+2 can represent any number value. • Similarly, variables in computer program are symbols for arbitrary data. MIT-Africa Internet Technology Initiative 3 ©2005 A Variable Analogy • Think of variables as an empty box that you can put values in. • We can label the box with a name like “Box X” and re-use it many times. • Can perform tasks on the box without caring about what’s inside: – “Move Box X to Shelf A” – “Put item Z in box” – “Open Box X” – “Remove contents from Box X” MIT-Africa Internet Technology Initiative 4 ©2005 Variables Types in Java • Variables in Java have a type. • The type defines what kinds of values a variable is allowed to store. • Think of a variable’s type as the size or shape of the empty box. 2 • The variable x in f(x)=x