String to number conversion in Kotlin - Mini Project: Build & Apply

String to number conversion

📖 Scenario: You are building a simple calculator app that takes numbers as text input from users. To perform calculations, you need to convert these text inputs into numbers.

🎯 Goal: Learn how to convert strings into numbers in Kotlin using safe methods to avoid errors.

📋 What You'll Learn

Create a string variable with a number as text

Create a variable to hold the converted number

Convert the string to an integer using toIntOrNull()

Print the converted number or a message if conversion fails

💡 Why This Matters

🌍 Real World

Converting text input to numbers is common in apps like calculators, forms, and data processing tools.

💼 Career

Understanding safe string to number conversion helps prevent app crashes and improves user experience in software development.

1

Create a string variable with a number

Create a string variable called numberText and set it to the value "123".

Kotlin

// Create a string variable called numberText and set it to "123"
// Your code here

Hint

Use val to create a variable and assign the string "123" to numberText.

2

Create a variable to hold the converted number

Create a variable called number and set it to null initially. This will hold the converted integer later.

Kotlin

val numberText = "123"
// Create a variable called number and set it to null
// Your code here

Hint

Use var because the value will change later. Use Int? to allow null.

3

Convert the string to an integer safely

Convert numberText to an integer using toIntOrNull() and assign it to number.

Kotlin

val numberText = "123"
var number: Int? = null
// Convert numberText to Int using toIntOrNull() and assign to number
// Your code here

Hint

Use toIntOrNull() to safely convert the string to an integer without crashing if the string is invalid.

4

Print the converted number or a message

Write a println statement that prints number if it is not null, or prints "Conversion failed" if it is null.

Kotlin

val numberText = "123"
var number: Int? = null
number = numberText.toIntOrNull()
// Print number if not null, else print "Conversion failed"
// Your code here

Hint

Use the Elvis operator ?: to print a default message if number is null.

Practice

1. Which Kotlin function converts a String to an Int?

easy

A. toChar()

B. toString()

C. toDouble()

D. toInt()

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the conversion functions

   Kotlin provides toInt() to convert strings to integers, toDouble() for doubles, and toString() converts other types to strings.

2. Step 2: Identify the correct function for String to Int

   Since the question asks for converting a String to an Int, toInt() is the correct function.

3. Final Answer:

   toInt() -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   String to Int = toInt() [OK]

Hint: Use toInt() to convert string numbers to integers [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing toInt() with toString()
• Using toDouble() when integer is needed
• Trying to convert non-numeric strings without error handling

2. Which of the following Kotlin code snippets correctly converts the string "123" to an integer?

easy

A. val num = "123".toInteger()

B. val num = toInt("123")

C. val num = "123".toInt()

D. val num = Int("123")

Solution

1. Step 1: Check Kotlin syntax for string to int conversion

   The correct syntax is calling toInt() on the string object, like "123".toInt().

2. Step 2: Analyze each option

   val num = "123".toInt() uses the correct method call. Options B and C are invalid function calls in Kotlin. val num = "123".toInteger() uses a non-existent method toInteger().

3. Final Answer:

   val num = "123".toInt() -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Correct syntax = "123".toInt() [OK]

Hint: Call toInt() directly on the string value [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Trying to call toInt() as a standalone function
• Using Java-like Integer.parseInt() syntax
• Using non-existent methods like toInteger()

3. What is the output of the following Kotlin code?

val s = "45"
val n = s.toInt() + 10
println(n)

medium

A. 55

B. 4510

C. 45

D. Error

Solution

1. Step 1: Convert string to integer and add

   The string "45" is converted to integer 45 using toInt(). Then 10 is added, resulting in 55.

2. Step 2: Print the result

   The println(n) outputs the integer 55, not string concatenation.

3. Final Answer:

   55 -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   45 + 10 = 55 [OK]

Hint: toInt() converts string to number, so + means addition [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking + concatenates strings here
• Expecting output '4510' instead of 55
• Ignoring toInt() conversion effect

4. Identify the error in this Kotlin code snippet:

val s = "abc"
val n = s.toInt()
println(n)

medium

A. No error, prints 0

B. Runtime exception due to invalid number format

C. Compilation error: toInt() not found

D. Prints "abc"

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand toInt() behavior on invalid strings

   Calling toInt() on a string that is not a valid number throws a NumberFormatException at runtime.

2. Step 2: Analyze the given string "abc"

   Since "abc" cannot be converted to an integer, the program will crash with a runtime exception.

3. Final Answer:

   Runtime exception due to invalid number format -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Invalid string toInt() causes runtime error [OK]

Hint: Invalid strings cause runtime errors with toInt() [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Expecting toInt() to return 0 for invalid strings
• Thinking toInt() throws compile-time error
• Ignoring exception possibility

5. You have a list of strings representing numbers: listOf("10", "20", "abc", "30"). Which Kotlin code safely converts valid strings to integers and ignores invalid ones?

hard

A. list.mapNotNull { it.toIntOrNull() }

B. list.filter { it.toInt() > 0 }

C. list.map { it.toInt() }

D. list.filterNotNull().map { it.toInt() }

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand safe conversion with toIntOrNull()

   toIntOrNull() returns null if conversion fails, avoiding exceptions.

2. Step 2: Use mapNotNull to convert and skip nulls

   mapNotNull { it.toIntOrNull() } converts valid strings and removes nulls from invalid ones.

3. Step 3: Analyze other options

   list.map { it.toInt() } throws exception on "abc". list.filter { it.toInt() > 0 } tries to convert without safety and filters by value, causing error. list.filterNotNull().map { it.toInt() } filters non-null strings but does not handle invalid numbers.

4. Final Answer:

   list.mapNotNull { it.toIntOrNull() } -> Option A

5. Quick Check:

   Safe conversion uses toIntOrNull() + mapNotNull [OK]

Hint: Use toIntOrNull() with mapNotNull() to skip invalid strings [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using toInt() directly causing exceptions
• Filtering strings before conversion incorrectly
• Not handling null results from toIntOrNull()