Break statement in Java - Interactive Code Practice

Practice - 5 Tasks

1fill in blank

easy

Complete the code to exit the loop when i equals 3.

Java

for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
    if (i == [1]) {
        break;
    }
    System.out.println(i);
}

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

A3

B5

C1

D0

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using a value that never occurs in the loop condition.

Forgetting that break exits the loop immediately.

The break statement exits the loop when i equals 3.

2fill in blank

medium

Complete the code to break the loop when the character 'x' is found.

Java

char[] letters = {'a', 'b', 'x', 'd'};
for (char c : letters) {
    if (c == [1]) {
        break;
    }
    System.out.print(c);
}

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

A'x'

B'a'

C'd'

D'b'

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using single quotes incorrectly.

Breaking on the wrong character.

The loop breaks when the character 'x' is found in the array.

3fill in blank

hard

Fix the error in the loop to break when number is 10.

Java

int[] numbers = {5, 10, 15};
for (int num : numbers) {
    if (num == [1]) {
        break;
    }
    System.out.println(num);
}

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

A15

B5

C20

D10

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using a value not in the array.

Confusing the break condition.

The loop breaks when num equals 10, stopping further printing.

4fill in blank

hard

Fill both blanks to break the loop when count reaches 4 and print count.

Java

int count = 0;
while (count < 10) {
    if (count == [1]) {
        [2];
    }
    System.out.println(count);
    count++;
}

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

A4

Bbreak

Ccontinue

D5

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using continue instead of break.

Checking the wrong count value.

The loop breaks when count is 4 using the break statement.

5fill in blank

hard

Fill all three blanks to break the loop when i is 2 and print i.

Java

for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
    if (i == [1]) {
        [2];
    }
    System.out.println([3]);
}

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

A3

Bbreak

Ci

D2

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using wrong values for comparison.

Forgetting to print the correct variable.

Using continue instead of break.

The loop breaks when i is 2, and prints the current value of i.

Practice

1. What does the break statement do inside a loop in Java?

easy

A. It restarts the loop from the beginning.

B. It skips the current iteration and continues the loop.

C. It immediately stops the loop and exits it.

D. It pauses the loop and waits for user input.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the purpose of break

   The break statement is used to exit the nearest loop or switch immediately when executed.

2. Step 2: Compare with other loop controls

   Unlike continue which skips to the next iteration, break stops the loop entirely.

3. Final Answer:

   It immediately stops the loop and exits it. -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Break stops loop [OK]

Hint: Break exits loop immediately, unlike continue which skips iteration [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing break with continue
• Thinking break pauses the loop
• Using break outside loops or switch

2. Which of the following is the correct syntax to use break inside a Java for loop?

easy

A. for(int i=0; i<5; i++) break if(i==3);

B. for(int i=0; i<5; i++) { if(i==3) break; }

C. for(int i=0; i<5; i++) { break i==3; }

D. for(int i=0; i<5; i++) { if break(i==3); }

Solution

1. Step 1: Check correct placement of break

   Break must be inside a block and triggered by a condition like if(i==3).

2. Step 2: Validate Java syntax

   for(int i=0; i<5; i++) { if(i==3) break; } uses correct Java syntax: if(condition) break; inside the loop block.

3. Final Answer:

   for(int i=0; i<5; i++) { if(i==3) break; } -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Correct break syntax [OK]

Hint: Use break inside braces with if condition for correct syntax [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Placing break outside braces
• Using break as a function call
• Incorrect if-break order

3. What will be the output of the following Java code?

for(int i=1; i<=5; i++) {
  if(i == 3) {
    break;
  }
  System.out.print(i + " ");
}

medium

A. 1 2

B. 1 2 3 4 5

C. 3 4 5

D. No output

Solution

1. Step 1: Trace loop iterations

   Loop starts i=1, prints 1; i=2, prints 2; at i=3, break triggers and loop stops.

2. Step 2: Determine printed output

   Only 1 and 2 are printed before break stops the loop.

3. Final Answer:

   1 2 -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Break at i=3 stops loop, output = 1 2 [OK]

Hint: Break stops loop before printing i=3, so output ends at 2 [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming break prints 3
• Ignoring break and printing all numbers
• Confusing break with continue

4. Identify the error in this Java code snippet:

int i = 0;
while(i < 5)
  if(i == 3)
    break;
  i++;
System.out.println(i);

medium

A. Missing braces causing incorrect loop behavior

B. break cannot be used inside while loops

C. Variable i is not initialized

D. System.out.println is outside the loop

Solution

1. Step 1: Analyze loop structure and indentation

   Without braces, only the first statement after while is inside the loop; i++ runs outside the loop.

2. Step 2: Understand effect on loop

   Because i++ is outside, i never increments inside loop, causing infinite loop or wrong behavior.

3. Final Answer:

   Missing braces causing incorrect loop behavior -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Braces needed to group loop statements [OK]

Hint: Always use braces to group multiple statements in loops [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming break is invalid in while
• Ignoring indentation and braces
• Thinking i++ runs inside loop

5. You want to find the first number divisible by 7 in an array and stop searching after finding it. Which code snippet correctly uses break to achieve this?

int[] nums = {10, 13, 21, 28, 35};
int result = -1;
for(int n : nums) {
  // Fill here
}
System.out.println(result);

hard

A. if(n % 7 == 0) { continue; result = n; }

B. if(n % 7 == 0) { break; result = n; }

C. if(n % 7 == 0) { result = n; continue; }

D. if(n % 7 == 0) { result = n; break; }

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the goal

   We want to assign the first divisible by 7 number to result and then stop the loop immediately.

2. Step 2: Check correct break usage

   if(n % 7 == 0) { result = n; break; } assigns result first, then breaks to stop searching. This is correct.

3. Step 3: Analyze incorrect options

   if(n % 7 == 0) { break; result = n; } breaks before assigning result, so result stays -1. Options A and D use continue which skips to the next iteration and loop continues.

4. Final Answer:

   if(n % 7 == 0) { result = n; break; } -> Option D

5. Quick Check:

   Assign then break to stop loop [OK]

Hint: Assign value before break to stop loop after finding it [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Breaking before assignment
• Using continue instead of break
• Not stopping loop after finding value