Question

The homework problem is the user enters a number. Then you have to write a program that reverses that order. So if the user enters 7364 you have to write a program that presents 4637 on the next line. I think I’ve figured out the solution but I’m not sure how to write it.

Since the last number is the first number in reverse order that means that if someone enters 7364 that means i want to get 4637. I have to write a program that multiplies 4 by 1000, 6 by 100, 3 by 10 and 7 by 1 then add those up to get 4637. I’m not not 100% sure how to do it. What’s messing me up is how to multiply one number by 1000, the next by 100, the next by 10 and the next by 1 then add those up.

import acm.program.*;
public class ReverseNumber extends ConsoleProgram{
    public void run(){

    int n = readInt("please enter any positive number: ");

    int total = 0;


    while ( n > 0){
    total = total + n % 10;    <----?
    n = n * 1000;         <----?
      }
    println("the reverse order is" + total); 

   }

  }

Answer 1

This should work:

    total = 0;
    while (n > 0) {
        total = total * 10 + n % 10;
        n = n / 10;
    }
    println("the reverse order is " + total); 

You don’t have to know how many digits there are in the original number, you’re iterating through all of them anyway. Here’s what happens:

• When you get a new digit (n % 10), you multiply the result by 10 and add it to it. This way, you offset the digits in the result.
• Then you eliminate the last digit (the one you added in the step before) from the original number by doing n / 10.