Multiple catch blocks in Java - Mini Project: Build & Apply

Handling Multiple Exceptions with Multiple Catch Blocks in Java

📖 Scenario: Imagine you are writing a simple Java program that reads numbers from an array and divides a fixed number by each element. Sometimes, the array might contain zero or invalid data, which can cause errors.

🎯 Goal: You will create a Java program that uses try with multiple catch blocks to handle different types of exceptions separately.

📋 What You'll Learn

Create an integer array called numbers with the values 10, 0, 5, -3

Create an integer variable called fixedNumber and set it to 100

Use a for loop with variable i to iterate over numbers

Inside the loop, use a try block to divide fixedNumber by numbers[i]

Add catch blocks to handle ArithmeticException and ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException

Print specific messages inside each catch block

Print the result of the division inside the try block if no exception occurs

💡 Why This Matters

🌍 Real World

Handling multiple exceptions is common in real-world programs where different errors can happen, such as file errors, network problems, or invalid user input.

💼 Career

Knowing how to use multiple catch blocks helps you write robust Java applications that don't crash unexpectedly and provide clear error messages.

1

Create the data setup

Create an integer array called numbers with the values 10, 0, 5, -3 and an integer variable called fixedNumber set to 100.

Java

int[] numbers = {10, 0, 5, -3};
int fixedNumber = 100;
// Your code here

Need a hint?

Use int[] numbers = {10, 0, 5, -3}; to create the array and int fixedNumber = 100; for the fixed number.

2

Add a for loop to iterate over the array

Add a for loop with variable i that goes from 0 to numbers.length - 1 to iterate over the numbers array.

Java

public class Main {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        int[] numbers = {10, 0, 5, -3};
        int fixedNumber = 100;
        for (int i = 0; i < numbers.length; i++) {
            // Your code here
        }
    }
}

Need a hint?

Use for (int i = 0; i < numbers.length; i++) to loop through the array.

3

Add try block with multiple catch blocks

Inside the for loop, add a try block that divides fixedNumber by numbers[i] and prints the result. Add two catch blocks: one for ArithmeticException that prints "Cannot divide by zero at index i" and one for ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException that prints "Index i is out of bounds".

Java

public class Main {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        int[] numbers = {10, 0, 5, -3};
        int fixedNumber = 100;
        for (int i = 0; i < numbers.length; i++) {
            try {
                // Your code here
            } catch (ArithmeticException e) {
                // Your code here
            } catch (ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException e) {
                // Your code here
            }
        }
    }
}

Need a hint?

Use try to attempt the division. Catch ArithmeticException to handle division by zero and ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException for invalid indexes.

4

Print the output

Run the program and print the output to the console. Use System.out.println inside the try and catch blocks as already written.

Java

public class Main {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        int[] numbers = {10, 0, 5, -3};
        int fixedNumber = 100;
        for (int i = 0; i < numbers.length; i++) {
            try {
                int result = fixedNumber / numbers[i];
                System.out.println("Result: " + result);
            } catch (ArithmeticException e) {
                System.out.println("Cannot divide by zero at index " + i);
            } catch (ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException e) {
                System.out.println("Index " + i + " is out of bounds");
            }
        }
    }
}
// Run the program to see the output

Need a hint?

Run the program. You should see results for valid divisions and messages for division by zero.