so why doesn't it work the same way as the cube method?

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the cube method takes a and turns it into a= a*a*a so why cant the ninthDegree method take a and return it as a = (cube a) * (cube a) * (cube a) ? instead, it's some random statement that is not even explained how or more importantly why it works.

You won't blow any minds by unveiling a calculator that can raise a number to the power of three.
But a calculator that can raise a number to the power of nine is another matter! So let's implement one!

To do this, create a public static long ninthDegree(long) method.
It must take a long integer value as an argument.
The method should raise the passed value to the ninth power and return it as the method's result.
You'll remember from your high school math class that you can get the ninth power of a number if you raise it to the third power and then raise the result to the third power. Let's use this rule in our program.
In the ninthDegree() method, raise the passed argument to the third power using the cube() method.
Then pass the result to the cube() method once again. The final result is the method's return value.

Requirements:

There must be a public static long ninthDegree(long a) method.
The ninthDegree() method must return the result of raising the passed number to the power of nine.
The ninthDegree() method must use the cube() method to successively cube the number.

package en.codegym.task.pro.task06.task0609; /* A cubed cube calculator */ public class Solution { public static void main(String[] args) { } public static long cube(long a) { return a * a * a; } public static long ninthDegree(long a){ return cube(a) * cube(a) * cube(a); } }

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Brentachii

Level 13 , United States of America, United States

11 January 2022, 06:13

thanks, the first one makes sense why it works but why does it work to cube(cube(a)); ?

Lisa

Level 41

11 January 2022, 10:53

The cube method returns a long and takes a long. It does not matter if the long it takes is a literal (like 8), a variable (like thirdPower in my example) or a method that returns the required type. See the method as a substitute for the result, the long. Imagine it not being the method but the result. eg.

cube(cube(2));
// the inner cube method results in 8 and that method returns that 8 -> you can then think it as
cube(8);

Brentachii

Level 13 , United States of America, United States

14 January 2022, 07:33

Ahhhhh that makes sense! thank you for that explanation it helps a lot.

Lisa

Level 41

10 January 2022, 12:25

Probably cause CG wants to see another approach and they exactly described what the want to see... ... raise the passed argument to the third power using the cube() method. Then pass the result to the cube() method once again.

long thirdPower = cube(a);
return cube(thirdPower);

// or shorter
return cube(cube(a));