Trial Lab
Trial Lab (CS1101 AY2008/9 Semester 1)
This lab assignment is not graded.
Date of release: 19 August 2008, Tuesday, 23:59.
Submission deadline: 27 August 2008, Wednesday, 23:59.
School of Computing, National University of Singapore

0 Introduction

This trial lab is for you to test out the CourseMarker system and to iron out any problem before we start the first lab assignment in week 4. This trial lab is not graded.

For more information on CourseMarker, please refer to CS1101X lab page and CS1101X IVLE forum. (CS1101X IVLE forum is open to all students. If you are not taking CS1101X, you can bookmark it in IVLE to access the forum.)

You may assume that all input data are correct.

In general, you should use Scanner class on System.in for input and System.out for output in your programs, unless otherwise stated.

Test your programs thoroughly with your own input data before you submit to CourseMarker. Do not use CourseMarker as a debugging tool. For this trial lab, the number of submissions is set to 99.

If you have any questions, you may post your queries in the IVLE forum of your respective lecture group.

Important!
Please use this trial lab to test out the CourseMarker system to ensure that it works before actual lab starts in week 4. For installation details, please refer to the CourseMarker website. If you have problem with the installation, you may post your queries in the IVLE forum of your respective lecture group, email cmarker@comp.nus.edu.sg, or approach the Technical Services counter at the ground floor of COM1.

1 Exercise 1: Cube

1.1 Learning objectives

• Standard input and output. (Textbook sections 3.7, 3.23)
• The int data type. (Textbook sections 3.10, 3.13)
• Simple arithmetic computation on integers. (Textbook section 3.15)

1.2 Task

Write a program that reads three positive integers representing the length, width and height of a cube, and computes the volume of the cube.

You may assume that the volume of the cube does not exceed the maximum value representable in the int data type. (What is that maximum value?)

1.3 Sample run

Sample run using interactive input (user's input shown in blue; output shown in bold purple):

$ javac Cube.java
$ java Cube
Enter length: 12
Enter width : 3
Enter height: 10
Volume = 360

1.4 Submission

Submit your program through CourseMarker.

1.5 Important notes

• It may seem that this lab requires knowledge in Chapter 3 which is not yet covered. Do not fret. Your will be given a skeleton program which is almost complete. You just need to correct two statements in the program.
  
  
• A skeleton file is provided here: Cube.java
  
  
• CourseMarker awards mark for correctness ONLY if your output adheres to the given format. Hence, do not add any other characters (such as blanks) that are not asked for in your output, or change the spelling in your output. The following outputs will all be graded as incorrect for the above example:
  
  • volume = 360    (reason: "Volume" misspelt as "volume")
  • Volume=360    (reason: spaces around = sign missing)
  • Volume  =  360    (reason: too many spaces around = sign)
  • Volume = 360.    (reason: additional dot at end of line)
  
  
• Note that your program will be tested with a number of test data sets, which are DIFFERENT from the given example.
  
  
• This trial lab is for your familiarisation with CourseMarker. Marks awarded for this lab will not be recorded.

1.6 Exploration

You may want to explore more since you are new in programming. You can try the following suggestions just for your own practice (do not submit to CourseMarker!). The suggestions are independent of one another. You may try other changes on your own. You may discuss your observation with your discussion leader.

• You use int type for the volume in this program. You have learned in class that int type uses 32 bits. Can you try some input values such that the program 'bombs' (terminates with error) because the computed volume is larger than what int type can hold.
• Use the double type instead of int type in your program.
• Compute the perimeter of the cube.
• Compute the surface area of the cube.

2 Deadline

The deadline for handing in all programs is 27 August 2008, Wednesday, 23:59. Late submissions will NOT be accepted.

• 0 Introduction
  
  
• 1 Exercise 1: Cube
  • 1.1 Learning objectives
  • 1.2 Task
  • 1.3 Sample run
  • 1.4 Submission
  • 1.5 Important notes
  • 1.6 Exploration
  
  
• 2 Deadline