Chapter 5.5, Problem 28SCP

Explanation of Solution

Given program:

//definition of "mystery" method

public static int mystery (int n)

{

    //create an object for "Random" class

    Random r = new Random ();

//declare the variable and generate the random value*/

    int a = r.nextInt (3) + 1;

    //declare the variable and set the value

    int b = 2;

    //Point A

    //check "n" greater than "b"

    while (n > b)

    {

        //Point B

        //calculate the value

        b = b + a;

        //check "a" is greater than 1

        if (a > 1)

        {

            //decrement the value

            n--;

            //Point C

            //generate a random number

            a = r.nextInt (b) + 1;

        }

        //otherwise

        else

        {

            //calculate the value

            a = b + 1;

            //Point D

        }

    }

    //Point E

    //return the value

    return n;

}

Categorization of each point:

	n > b	a > 1	b > a
Point A	Sometimes	Sometimes	Sometimes
Point B	Always	Sometimes	Sometimes
Point C	Sometimes	Always	Always
Point D	Sometimes	Always	Never
Point E	Never	Sometimes	sometimes

Explanation:

• The variable “x” is the parameter and get their value from the call to the method...