Java beginner exercise with methods

Question

I am real beginner in Java and I have one simple exercise where I need to convert m/h into km/h using a method and a return from it.

I have to define 2 situations: if km/h < 0 return -1 (error) and if km/h > 0 return km/h * 1.609 (value in m/h).

I tried everything I could think of but I either get a no return statement error or no output when I try to run it.

I can't understand why even if I gave it more than one return option it just doesn't work whatever the value is. I could use System.outprintln or String but the exercise specify I must use a return method.

here is my code, written in IntelliJ:

package EXERCISE;

public class Main {

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        toMilesPerHour(0);
    }

    public static double toMilesPerHour(double kilometersPerHour) {

        if (kilometersPerHour < 0) {
            return -1;
        }
        else if (kilometersPerHour > 0) {
            return kilometersPerHour * 1.609d;
        }
        else if (kilometersPerHour == 0) {
            return 0;
        }

        return kilometersPerHour * 1.609;

        // if I don't write return here it gives me no return statement error,
        // if I write it, it gives me no output with value > or < 0 but no error.
    }

}

Answer 1

Even if you use a method, you have to print the returned value:

package EXERCISE;

public class Main {

    public static void main(String[] args) {

        System.out.println(toMilesPerHour(0));

    }

    public static double toMilesPerHour(double kilometersPerHour) {

        if (kilometersPerHour < 0) {
            return -1;
        }
        else if (kilometersPerHour > 0) {
            return kilometersPerHour * 1.609d;
        }
        else if (kilometersPerHour == 0) {
            return 0;
        }
        return kilometersPerHour * 1.609;
        //if I don't write return here it gives me no return statement error,
        //if I write it, it gives me no output with value > or < 0 but no error.
    }
}

Furthermore, you can get rid of the return statement at the end:

    public static double toMilesPerHour(double kilometersPerHour) {
        if (kilometersPerHour < 0) {
            return -1;
        }
        else {
            // you don't need to check if kilometersPerHour is 0, since every number multiplied with 0 is 0
            return kilometersPerHour * 1.609;
        }
    }