Is parameter a local variable

[oak sierra]

I just had an interview on my code in a Java Introduction class. An the interviewer asked me, in this method which one is the local variable?

    public double lengthOfHypotenuse(double a, double b) {
        return Math.sqrt(a * a + b * b);
    }

I answered a and b.

He say I am wrong because they are parameters. But am I though? I went and google and see lots of websites that say parameters are local variables. Though in my class's Java resource it defines local variables as this.

Definition: Local variable – A variable that is defined within the body of a method and is accessible within that method only.

So who is correct and who is wrong?

[raven steeple]

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[raven steeple]

Please format your code to make it more readable.
For java, it should look like this:
```​​​`​java
public void foo() {

}
​​​`​```

[hard eagle]

depends on your definition of local variable

if it's something that's scoped locally, then parameters are local variables
if it's something that's declared in a method/constructor/init block body, then parameters aren't local variables. (parameters are declared in the method signature, not in the method body)

some places use the former definition, some use the latter

some languages use the former/latter by standard

it varies a lot

in practice it doesn't matter

i think the takeaway is that; that wasn't a useful question to ask

[oak sierra]

@hard eagle what do you mean by
"if it's something that's declared in a method/constructor/init block body, then parameters aren't local variables."

if its declared in a method, isnt that a local variable, but then it wouldn't be a parameter right?

[hard eagle]

if it's declared in a method body, it's a local variable and not a parameter

[oak sierra]

yeah but like since its a college class it worth marks unfortunately

so i should ask my tutor about it right?

cause in java parameters are local variable?

[hard eagle]

sure

[oak sierra]

@hard eaglein my class java resource they use this
Definition: Local variable – A variable that is defined within the body of a method and is accessible within that method only.

so can we say its a wrong definition?

[hard eagle]

no, in java the term isn't super strict

afaik, at least

[hard eagle]

not a wrong definition, no

[oak sierra]

okay i will try asking my tutor about it

[hard eagle]

actually seems like the java spec does make a distinction between parameters and local variables

i mean makes sense in that context

different story as to whether developers themselves consider them completely separate things though

[oak sierra]

can you share me the link?

[hard eagle]

well, that one is making a distinction between them, so wouldn't be super helpful to your cause lol

I already closed it but you could try searching [java] parameter local variable in stack overflow

[oak sierra]

yeah i just realize that HAHA, but i figure it would still be helpful for my knowledge

okay thanks

[raven steeple]

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