Essential Java for Scientists and Engineers (eBook)

Front Cover 1
Essential Java for Scientists and Engineers 4
Copyright Page 5
Contents 6
Preface 14
Acknowledgements 17
Part l: Essentials 18
Chapter 1. Getting going 20
1.1 Introduction to programming 20
1.2 Setting up your computer for programming in Java 21
1.3 Writing your first Java program 23
1.4 Input and output 26
1.5 Comments 28
1.6 Using objects 29
1.7 Java on the WWW (optional) 32
Chapter 2. Java programming basics 37
2.1 Compound interest again 37
2.2 Primitive data types 40
2.3 Names 42
2.4 Vertical motion under gravity 43
2.5 Operators, expressions and assignments 44
2.6 Repeating with for 47
2.7 Deciding with if 55
2.8 Characters 62
2.9 Math methods 63
2.10 Programming style 63
Chapter 3. Solving a problem in Java 72
3.1 Introduction 72
3.2 The class provider, class user and end user 73
3.3 What are objects and classes? 73
3.4 Writing and using a simple class 75
3.5 How memory works 76
3.6 The String class 79
3.7 Understanding methods 80
3.8 Example: simulating a rabbit colony 83
3.9 Access modifiers 87
3.10 Example: simulating the growth of trees 88
3.11 Scope 91
3.12 More on object handles 92
3.13 The static keyword 97
3.14 Naming conventions 100
3.15 Using the Java API 101
3.16 Making your own package (optional) 101
Chapter 4. More on loops 106
4.1 Determinate repetition with for 106
4.2 Indeterminate repetition with while 115
Chapter 5. Debugging 131
5.1 Compilation errors 131
5.2 Run-time errors 134
5.3 Errors in logic 136
5.4 Rounding errors 136
Chapter 6. Arrays and matrices 140
6.1 Introduction 140
6.2 The basics of arrays 142
6.3 Passing arrays to methods 145
6.4 Frequency distributions: a simple bar chart 145
6.5 Multi-dimensional arrays 146
6.6 Arrays of objects 150
6.7 Sorting an array 151
Part II: More advanced topics 158
Chapter 7. Inheritance 160
7.1 Introduction 160
7.2 Inheritance in Java 162
7.3 Constructors and inheritance 167
7.4 The Object class 169
7.5 Abstract classes and interfaces 171
Chapter 8. Graphical user interfaces (GUIs) 177
8.1 Introduction 177
8.2 Building a Swing application 178
8.3 Arranging components 184
8.4 A colour chooser application 187
8.5 Painting 191
8.6 Drawing mathematical graphs 202
8.7 Fractals 206
Chapter 9. Input/output 214
9.1 Introduction 214
9.2 Input through command line parameters 215
9.3 Input from the keyboard without the essential package 215
9.4 Streams 216
9.5 File input/output 218
9.6 Manipulating data 221
9.7 Streams and the Internet 222
Chapter 10. Exceptions 226
10.1 Introduction 226
10.2 Exceptions in Java 226
10.3 Throwing exceptions 228
10.4 Handling exceptions 231
10.5 Exceptions and file input 234
Part III: Some applications 242
Chapter 11. Simulation 244
11.1 Random number generation 244
11.2 Spinning coins 246
11.3 Rolling dice 247
11.4 Bacteria division 247
11.5 Radioactive decay 247
11.6 A random walk 250
11.7 Traffic flow 253
Chapter 12. Modelling with matrices 259
12.1 Using the Matrix class 259
12.2 Networks 261
12.3 Leslie matrices: population growth 265
12.4 Markov processes 269
12.5 Linear equations 273
Chapter 13. Introduction to numerical methods 279
13.1 Equations 279
13.2 Numerical differentiation 287
13.3 Integration 289
13.4 First-order differential equations 291
13.5 Runge–Kutta methods 296
13.6 Driver: a GUI to solve ODEs 301
13.7 A partial differential equation 307
Appendix A: Keywords 315
Appendix B: Operators 316
Appendix C: Syntax quick reference 317
C.1 Primitive type declarations 317
C.2 Methods 317
C.3 Classes 318
C.4 Decisions 318
C.5 Loops 319
Appendix D: Solutions to selected exercises 321
Index 350