Given: class Alpha { int ns; static int S; Alpha (int ns) { if (S < ns) { S = ns; this.ns = ns; } } void doPrint() { System.out.println ("ns = " + ns + " S = " + S); } } And, public class TestA {…

The correct answer is B. ns = 50 S = 125 ns = 125 S = 125 ns = 0 S = 125. Option B is correct because the constructor only assigns this.ns when S < ns - for ref3(100), the condition 125 < 100 is false, so this.ns is never set and retains Java's default value of 0. Meanwhile, S is static (shared across all instances), so by the time any doPrint()…

Question

Given:
class Alpha {
int ns;
static int S;
Alpha (int ns) {
if (S < ns) {
S = ns;
this.ns = ns;
}
}
void doPrint() {
System.out.println ("ns = " + ns + " S = " + S);
}
}
And,
public class TestA {
public static void main (String[ ] args) {
Alpha refl = new Alpha(50);
Alpha ref2 = new Alpha(125);
Alpha ref3 = new Alpha(100);
refl.doPrint();
ref2.doPrint();
ref3.doPrint();
}
}
What is the result?

Options

Ans = 50 S = 125 ns = 125 S = 125 ns = 100 S = 125
Bns = 50 S = 125 ns = 125 S = 125 ns = 0 S = 125
Cns = 50 S = 50 ns = 125 S = 125 ns = 100 S = 100
Dns = 50 S = 50 ns = 125 S = 125 ns = 0 S = 125

How the community answered

(25 responses)

A
8% (2)
B
72% (18)
C
4% (1)
D
16% (4)

Explanation

Option B is correct because the constructor only assigns this.ns when S < ns - for ref3(100), the condition 125 < 100 is false, so this.ns is never set and retains Java's default value of 0. Meanwhile, S is static (shared across all instances), so by the time any doPrint() runs, every object sees the final value of S = 125.

A is wrong because it shows ref3.ns = 100, implying the constructor ran fully for ref3 - it didn't; the if block was skipped entirely.
C is wrong because it treats S as if each object sees only its own "snapshot" of S at creation time, but static fields are shared globally and reflect the current value at print time.
D is wrong for the same snapshot reasoning - it correctly gets ref3.ns = 0 but wrongly shows S = 50 and S = 125 for ref1/ref2 as if S were captured at construction.

Memory tip: Think "static = shared scoreboard, instance = personal score." If the constructor's condition fails, the personal score (ns) never gets written, defaulting to 0 - but the scoreboard (S) is always current for everyone.

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