Java illegal start of expression and 'else' without 'if' syntax errors

Question

I'm getting the errors: illegal start of expression and 'else' without 'if' but can't find any syntax errors here.

    public int faultyMethod2(int a, int b) {
    int result;

    if((a == 0) || b > 0)) {
        result = (b / a);
    }
    else if (a < 0) {
        result = (a + b);
    }

    return result;
}

unbalanced parenthesis in the first if. delete one of the )

Clayton Wilkinson
– Clayton Wilkinson

2015-11-04 02:57:24 +00:00
Commented Nov 4, 2015 at 2:57 — Clayton Wilkinson
– Clayton Wilkinson, Commented Nov 4, 2015 at 2:57

Suresh Atta · Accepted Answer · 2015-11-04 02:42:58Z

1

You just have a typo at if((a == 0) || b > 0)) { that should be if((a == 0) || (b > 0)) {. You missed a bracket.

And later on you need to have the default value of result. Either you can give the in declaration part or you need to provide an else part and give the default value there.

 public int faultyMethod2(int a, int b) {
    int result = 0;

    if((a == 0) || b > 0)) {
        result = (b / a);
    }
    else if (a < 0) {
        result = (a + b);
    }

return result;

}

or

 public int faultyMethod2(int a, int b) {
    int result;

    if((a == 0) || b > 0)) {
        result = (b / a);
    }
    else if (a < 0) {
        result = (a + b);
    }else {
       result = 0;
    }

    return result;
}

edited Nov 4, 2015 at 2:42

answered Nov 4, 2015 at 2:42

Suresh Atta

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3 Comments

Paul Boddington Over a year ago

That will be the OP's next problem. The current problem is the extra ).

Suresh Atta Over a year ago

@PaulBoddington He missed a bracket.

Andreas Over a year ago

Missed a start paren, or an end paren too many, either way they are unbalanced. Next issue: if (a == 0) { result = b / a } causes division by zero. But then again, OP did name it faultyMethod2. ;-)

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