Ternary operation with a "negative" variable

Question

What does the negative variable do in a ternary? Why is the output -10 is 10?

public class Ternary {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        int i, k;
        i = -10;
        k = i < 0 ? -i : i;
        System.out.print(i + " is " + k);
    }
}

Can anyone explain the function of the variable in this scenario? What does -i mean?

I have never heard of a negative variable before. What is it? Do you mean "a variable that has a negative numeric value"? — scottb, Jun 03 '17 at 16:13
Yes it is.the variable 'i' is changed to '-i' in ternary operation. — Enrique_Iglesias, Jun 03 '17 at 16:18
A better term would possibly be to *negate* the variable or as you're using it -- to get the variable's *absolute value*. — Hovercraft Full Of Eels, Jun 03 '17 at 16:49
Read the Fine Manual http://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/java/nutsandbolts/op1.html "Unary Operators" Also in the following subject the discussion of the conditional operator. — Lew Bloch, Jun 03 '17 at 19:06

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered Jun 03 '17 at 16:03

3

It's a unary operation -(-(1)) is 1. It's a longer way to write

int i = -10, k = Math.abs(i);

answered Jun 03 '17 at 16:03

Elliott Frisch

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What is the internal operation happens in this scenario? how 'i' is changed to '-i'? – Enrique_Iglesias Jun 03 '17 at 16:26
1

You are saying `k = -i` if `i < 0`. That is how `i` is changed into `-i`. – nbokmans Jun 03 '17 at 16:36

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Jun 03 '17 at 16:20

1

It first checks

-10 < 0, which turns out to be true.

Thus, 'k' will be assigned with value -(-10) as i = -10. The result becomes 10.

Then you have the answer

-10 is 10 as value of i remains unchanged

answered Jun 03 '17 at 16:20

user2750896

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Ternary operation with a "negative" variable

2 Answers2