Which data type value can an int variable not store?

Java MCQ: Which data type value can an int variable not store?

Answer:

Explanation:

In Java, the int data type is a 32-bit signed integer, which means it can store values ranging from -2³¹ (-2,147,483,648) to 2³¹-1 (2,147,483,647). These boundaries are determined by the binary representation of integers in the Java language, where the first bit is used as the sign bit to indicate whether the number is positive or negative. As a result, the maximum positive value an int can hold is 2,147,483,647, and the minimum negative value is -2,147,483,648.

The value 2147483648 exceeds the maximum positive range that an int can store, making it an invalid value for this data type. Attempting to assign this value to an int variable would result in a compile-time error or overflow, depending on how it’s handled in the code. For instance:

int maxInt = 2147483647;
System.out.println(maxInt); // Outputs: 2147483647

// int overflow example (will cause an error)
int overflowInt = 2147483648; // Error: integer number too large

To handle numbers larger than the int range, you would need to use the long data type, which is a 64-bit signed integer. The long type has a much larger range, from -2⁶³ to 2⁶³-1, making it suitable for applications that require larger numerical values.

Understanding the range limitations of data types like int is crucial in ensuring that your Java programs handle data correctly without encountering overflow errors, which can lead to incorrect calculations or even program crashes.

Reference links:

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