Why Does the Following Java Code Using Random Strings Print "hello world"?

Question

What is the logic behind this Java code that uses random strings to print "hello world"?

System.out.println(randomString(-229985452) + " " + randomString(-147909649));

Answer

The Java code segment in question is designed to print the phrase "hello world" by utilizing the `randomString` function with specific integer seeds. Here's a detailed look at how this works.

public static String randomString(int i)
{
    Random ran = new Random(i);
    StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
    while (true)
    {
        int k = ran.nextInt(27);
        if (k == 0)
            break;

        sb.append((char)('`' + k));
    }
    return sb.toString();
}

Causes

  • The randomString method generates characters based on a seed value provided as an input to the `Random` class.
  • The seeds used in this instance (-229985452 and -147909649) are significant because they yield a deterministic sequence of characters that produce "hello world" when combined.
  • By manipulating the `nextInt(27)` method, characters from the ASCII values '`' to 'z' can be generated, allowing the formation of the required phrase.

Solutions

  • To produce the output 'hello world', make sure to use the same integer seed values in the `randomString` function.
  • You can verify the output by running the provided Java code snippets and observing the print results.

Common Mistakes

Mistake: Using different seed values might result in a different output.

Solution: Always use the same seed values to achieve the same randomized output.

Mistake: Not understanding the character mapping from the `nextInt` method.

Solution: Familiarize yourself with how the `nextInt(27)` and ASCII values work to understand generated strings.

Helpers

  • Java random strings
  • how to print hello world in Java
  • randomString method
  • Java Random class
  • deterministic strings Java

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