Java Program to Print Sum of given Array Elements

Introduction

Summation is a fundamental operation in computer programming, and arrays are essential data structures for storing collections of elements. Finding the sum of elements within an array is a frequent task in various applications. Java provides efficient and straightforward ways to accomplish this task.

Understanding Arrays in Java

• Arrays: An array is a sequential collection of elements of the same data type.
• Declaring Arrays: You can declare an array using square brackets [] after the data type.
• Initializing Arrays: You can initialize an array with values during declaration or later.
• Accessing Elements: Array elements are accessed using their index, which starts from 0.

Approaches for Calculating Sum

Iterative Approach

1. Initialization:
   • Declare an integer variable sum and initialize it to 0.
   • Declare and initialize the array with desired values.
2. Iteration:
   • Use a for loop to iterate through each element of the array.
   • Inside the loop, add the current element to the sum variable.
3. Printing the Sum:
   • After the loop, print the final value of sum.

Code:

Java

public class SumOfArray {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        int[] myArray = {1, 5, 10, 25};
        int sum = 0;

        for (int i = 0; i < myArray.length; i++) {
            sum += myArray[i];
        }

        System.out.println("Sum of array elements: " + sum);
    }
}

Recursive Approach

1. Base Case:
   • If the array is empty, return 0.
2. Recursive Case:
   • Return the first element of the array plus the sum of the remaining elements (obtained by recursively calling the function with the array excluding the first element).

Code:

Java

public class SumOfArray {
    public static int sumOfArrayRecursive(int[] arr) {
        if (arr.length == 0) {
            return 0;
        } else {
            return arr[0] + sumOfArrayRecursive(Arrays.copyOfRange(arr, 1, arr.length));
        }
    }

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        int[] myArray = {1, 5, 10, 25};
        int sum = sumOfArrayRecursive(myArray);
        System.out.println("Sum of array elements: " + sum);
    }
}

Additional Considerations

• Enhancing Readability: Use meaningful variable names and comments to improve code readability.
• Error Handling: Consider incorporating error handling for invalid input or empty arrays.
• Alternative Methods: Java’s Arrays.stream(arrayName).sum() method offers a more concise way to calculate the sum.

Conclusion

Calculating the sum of array elements in Java is a fundamental skill with various applications. By understanding arrays, loops, and recursion, you can effectively implement both iterative and recursive solutions for this task.

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