Java - sorting a names array to match their scores

Question

Trying to sort a String array which contains names of participants to match a scores array which holds their scores for a quiz. I've managed to sort the scores from highest to lowest, but the names are in the wrong positions.

Answer 1

Well, this is where an Object will make your life incredibly easy. Don't handle multiple arrays. Handle a single array of type Person.

public class Person {
    private String name;
    private int score;

    public Person(String name, int score) {
        this.name = name;
        this.score = score;
    }

    // you'll need some getters and setters!
}

And now you can implement the Comparable interface. This allows you to sort. For example..

public class Person implements Comparable<Person>

and this will force you to implement the compareTo method..

public int compareTo(Person other)
{
    if(other.getScore() > this.score) return -1;

    if(other.getScore() < this.score) return 1;

    return 0;
}

Then, you get to call the Collections.sort method to sort it for you..

List<Person> myPeople = new ArrayList<Person>(); 

// Populate it..

Collections.sort(myPeople);

Extra Reading

• Read up on the Collections class.

• Read up on the Comparable Interface.

• Have a read about Object Oriented Design Principles in Java.