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C# C# Objects Loops and Final Touches For Loops

Scott Tucker
Scott Tucker
3,765 Points

C# Objects for loop challenge task help

This challenge is really bugging me. I don't know if it is how this challenge is worded or if I am really a noob in C# but I need help with this. The error that I am getting says 'not all code paths return a value'. I figured maybe I am suppose to create the array but I did that and it still returns the same error. As always it feels like I am really close to the answer. Any help would be appreciated.

FrogStats.cs
using System;
namespace Treehouse.CodeChallenges
{
    class FrogStats
    {

        public static double GetAverageTongueLength(Frog[] frogs)
        {
            double[] frog = {1.1,2.2,3.3,4.4,5.5};

            for(int i = 0; i < frog.Length; i++)
            {
                Console.WriteLine(frog[i]);
            }
        }
    }
}
Frog.cs
namespace Treehouse.CodeChallenges
{
    public class Frog
    {
        public int TongueLength { get; }

        public Frog(int tongueLength)
        {
            TongueLength = tongueLength;
        }
    }
}

2 Answers

Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,248 Points

The error message 'not all code paths return a value' generally means that you have defined a function or method that should return a value, but in the code you forgot to actually put a return statement that has a value.

Sure enough, your method GetAverageTongueLength is defined to return a double but it has no return statement.

Also, you seem to have deviated from the challenge instructions quite a bit. Here's a few more hints:

  • you won't need to define any static data, the challenge will pass the data to you
  • you won't need to print (Console.WriteLine) anything. just calculate and return the result.
  • be sure to use the passed-in array argument (frogs) in your calcuations
  • remember, you're trying to calculate average length of the tongues of the frogs in the array

I'll bet you can get it now without an explicit spoiler.

Scott Tucker
Scott Tucker
3,765 Points

Am I suppose to return and calculate the average in the for loop or just calculate the average in the for loop? I am pretty sure the average gets calculated like this: 'Sum of data in frogs array' / frogs.Length.

I have tried using '+=' to get the sum of the data in the frogs array by doing this: sum += frogs[i]; but I get an error that says 'Operator += cannot be applied to operands of type int'. I think I use the for loop to get the sum of the array and then divide that sum by frogs.Length. Then return the result of the average calculation. In my head I know what it should do but I can't seem to write it out.

Jeremy McLain
STAFF
Jeremy McLain
Treehouse Guest Teacher

It sounds to me like you've declared the sum variable as type int. You can fix this by making it a double so that it matches the type of the things being added up.

Steven Parker's advice will get you the rest of the way. :)

Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,248 Points

I didn't see your comment until Jeremy tagged me. It does sound like you have the right idea. As Jeremy said, be sure you're adding things of the same type. Also be sure to:

  • declare the sum variable before the loop (and set it to 0).
  • accumulate the sum in the loop
  • get the average by dividing after the loop
  • be sure to return the average
Scott Tucker
Scott Tucker
3,765 Points

I figured it out. Thank you both for your help. My error was not realizing I can put the TongueLength property onto the frogs array.