Why use empty string in Linear Search Java program

Question

I'm using the following method to perform a Linear Search on an Array:

private int[] theArray = new int[50]; 
private int arraySize = 10; 

public String linearSearchForValue(int value){

    boolean valueInArray = false;
    String indexsWithValue = "";

    for(int i = 0; i < arraySize; i++) {
        if(theArray[i] == value) {
            valueInArray = true;
            indexsWithValue+= i + " ";
        }
        printHorzArray(i, -1);
    }

    if(!valueInArray){
        indexsWithValue = "None";
    }

    System.out.print("The Value was Found in the Following: " + indexsWithValue);
    System.out.println();
    return indexsWithValue;
}

// Print Array
public void printHorzArray(int i, int j) {

for(int n = 0; n < 51; n++) {
    System.out.print("-");
}

System.out.println();

for(int n = 0; n < arraySize; n++) {
    System.out.print("| " + n + "  ");
}

System.out.println("|");

for(int n = 0; n < 51; n++) {
    System.out.print("-");
}

System.out.println();

for(int n = 0; n < arraySize; n++) {
System.out.print("| " + theArray[n] + " ");

}

In the linearSearchForValue method, what is the purpose of setting indexsWithValue to an empty string. In the if statement indexsWithValue+= i + " "; the empty string is then added to i + " ". I do not understand the purpose of doing these two things.

Note: The array elements are randomly generated.

Output:

Answer 1

You do not need it. It is just for outputting.

indexsWithValue+= i + " ";

make sure you concatenate all the indices which matches.

Your Output will be like.

i1 i2 i3 ....

where i1,i2,... are the matches found.