Polymorphism

Application Programming: Java Programming

 Contents
• Defining Polymorphism
• Method Overloading
• Method Overriding
• Implementing Polymorphism

2
 Objectives
• Explain the concept of polymorphism
• Describe and distinguish method overloading
• Describe and distinguish method overriding
• Explain the concepts of early binding and late binding
• Demonstrate when it is appropriate to implement
polymorphism

3
 Defining Polymorphism
• Polymorphism is the ability of different objects to
respond to the same message in different ways. This
means that different objects can have very different
method implementations for the same message.

• Polymorphism is the ability of a new object to implement

the base functionality of a parent object in a new way.

• Polymorphism is an object's ability to behave differently

depending on its type.

4
 Method Overloading
• Method Overloading is the process of declaring
methods with the same name but different parameter
types.

• A method can be overloaded in the same class or in a

subclass.

• Which overloaded method to call is based on reference

type and decided at compile time.

• Which overridden method to call is based on object

type and decided during runtime.

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 Rules of Method Overloading
1. Overloaded methods must change the argument list.

2. Overloaded methods can change the return type.

3. Overloaded methods can change the access modifier.

4. Overloaded methods can declare new or broader

checked exceptions.

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 Implementing Method Overloading
public static void main(String[] args) {
Sales s = new Sales();

System.out.println(s.computeSales(100));
System.out.println(s.computeSales(100,2));
System.out.println(s.computeSales(100,2,30));
}

class Sales {
double computeSales(double price) {
double sales;
sales = price;
return sales;
}
double computeSales(double price, int qty) {
double sales;
sales = price * qty;
return sales;
}
double computeSales(double price, int qty, double discount) {
double sales;
sales = (price * qty) - discount;
return sales; 100.0
} 200.0
} 170.0

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 Method Overriding
• Method Overriding allows a subclass to redefine
methods of the same name from the superclass.

• The key benefit of overriding is the ability to define/defer

behavior specific to subclasses.

• Which overridden method to call is based on object type

and decided at runtime.

8
 Rules of Method Overriding
1. An overridden method must have
• the same name
• the same number of parameters and types
• the same return type
as the overridden method.
2. Overriding a method cannot narrow the method access
level defined in the overridden method.
3. Overriding a method cannot widen checked exceptions
defined in the overridden method.
4. Methods declared as private, static, or final
cannot be overridden.
5. A static method cannot override an instance method.

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 Implementing Method Overriding
public static void main(String[] args) {
Sales s = new Sales(); Define Sales reference
Sales st = new SalesTax(); variable containing SalesTax
object
System.out.println(s.computeSales(100));
System.out.println(s.computeSales(100,2));
System.out.println(s.computeSales(100,2,30));
System.out.println(st.computeSales(100));
}
class Sales {
double computeSales(double price) {
double sales = price;
return sales; It determined which method
} to run based on object type
double computeSales(double price, int qty) { (SalesTax) instead of
double sales = price * qty; reference type (Sales)
return sales;
}
double computeSales(double price, int qty, double discount) {
double sales = (price * qty) - discount;
return sales;
}
}

class SalesTax extends Sales { 100.0

double computeSales(double price) { 200.0
double sales = price * 1.10; // add tax
return sales;
170.0
} 110.0
} 10
 Overloading vs Overriding

Criteria Overloaded Method Overridden Method

Argument list Different Same
Return type Can change Same
Exceptions Can change Cannot be wider
Access level Can change Cannot be narrower
Invocation Based on reference type and Based on object type
decided at compile time and decided at runtime

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 Implementing Polymorphism
class Animal {
public void eat() { System.out.println("Animal eating...");}
}
class Snake extends Animal {
public void eat() { System.out.println("Snake eating...");}
}
class Horse extends Animal {
public void eat() { System.out.println("Horse eating...");}
public void eat(String s) { System.out.println("Horse eating " + s); }
}
Animal eating...
public static void main(String[] args) { Snake eating...
Animal pig = new Animal(); Horse eating...
Snake viper = new Snake(); Horse eating grass
Horse stallion = new Horse(); Snake eating...
Animal animalViper = new Snake();
Horse eating...
Animal animalStallion = new Horse();

pig.eat(); // will this compile? Output?

pig.eat("left overs"); //will this compile? Output?
viper.eat(); // will this compile? Output?
viper.eat("chicken"); //will this compile? Output?
stallion.eat(); // will this compile? Output?
stallion.eat("grass"); // will this compile? Output?
animalViper.eat(); // will this compile? Output?
animalViper.eat("rat"); //will this compile? Output?
animalStallion.eat(); // will this compile? Output?
animalStallion.eat("Carrots"); //will this compile? Output?
}
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 Key Points
• Polymorphism is an object's ability to behave differently
depending on its type
• Method Overloading is the process of declaring methods
with the same name but different parameter types
• Method Overriding allows a subclass to redefine methods
of the same name from a superclass
• Early binding translates identifiers at compile-time while
late binding translates identifiers during runtime
• Late binding is used in polymorphism to determine the
actual method invoked at runtime

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Questions and Comments

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