Work through the list without notes. If you cannot do a statement, follow its link, then come back. Guide = study guide; Practice = practice questions.
Understanding
- I can explain what a constructor is and how it differs from a method. (Guide: “Making an object”; Practice Question 1)
- I can state a constructor’s signature. (Guide: “Constructor signatures and overloading”; Practice Question 3)
- I can explain constructor overloading. (Guide: “Constructor signatures and overloading”; Practice Question 4)
- I can explain what a reference variable holds before and after an object is created, including
null. (Guide: “Creating objects and storing references”; Practice Question 6) - I can explain call by value for constructor arguments. (Guide: Worked example 2; Practice Question 7)
Skills
- I can write a statement that declares a variable, creates an object with the right constructor and stores the reference. (Guide: “Creating objects and storing references”; Practice Questions 2 and 8)
- I can identify which constructor a call uses from the number, order and types of its arguments. (Guide: Worked example 1; Practice Questions 4 and 9)
- I can say what the attributes hold after a constructor call. (Guide: Worked example 1; Practice Questions 5 and 9)
- I can trace the order of output when constructors print. (Guide: “The flow of control”; Practice Question 10)
- I can explain why a constructor call does not compile. (Guide: the table of faults; Practice Questions 4 and 9)
Reasoning
- I can explain why a constructor does not change the caller’s variable. (Guide: Worked example 2; Practice Question 7)
- I can explain why
Box b = a;creates no new object. (Guide: “What storage means”) - I can say which statements create objects (only those with
new) and which only change references. (Guide: “What storage means”)
All ticked? Move on to the Topic 1.14 study guide, Calling Instance Methods, or return to the course roadmap.