Unraveling the Mystery of Palindromes in Java
What Makes a Palindrome?
Ever wondered what makes a string or number a palindrome? Simply put, a palindrome is a sequence that reads the same backward as forward. Examples of palindrome strings include “radar” and “level”, while numbers like 3553 and 12321 also fit the bill.
The Palindrome Check
So, how do we determine if a given string or number is a palindrome in Java? The answer lies in reversing the sequence and comparing it to the original. Let’s dive into two examples that illustrate this process.
Palindrome Strings
Consider the string “Radar”. To check if it’s a palindrome, we can use a for
loop to reverse the string. Here’s how:
- We iterate through the string from end to beginning, accessing each character using the
charAt()
method. - Each character is stored in a new string,
reverseStr
, in reverse order. - Finally, we compare the original string (
str
) with the reversed string (reverseStr
) using anif
statement. To ensure accuracy, we convert both strings to lowercase using thetoLowerCase()
method.
Palindrome Numbers
Now, let’s examine how to check if a number is a palindrome. Take the number 3553, for instance. We can use a while
loop to reverse the number and store it in reversedNum
. Then, we use an if...else
statement to compare reversedNum
with the original number (originalNum
).
Putting it all Together
By reversing a sequence and comparing it to the original, we can determine if it’s a palindrome. These simple yet effective techniques are essential tools in any Java programmer’s toolkit.