Scope of Local Variables

• Scope of a local variable cannot contain the definition of another variable with the same name

  Rectangle r = new Rectangle(5, 10, 20, 30);
  if (x >= 0)
  {
     double r = Math.sqrt(x);
     // Error–can't declare another variable called r here
     . . .
  }

• However, can have local variables with identical names if scopes do not overlap

  if (x >= 0)
  {
     double r = Math.sqrt(x);
     . . .
  } // Scope of r ends here
  else
  {
     Rectangle r = new Rectangle(5, 10, 20, 30);
     // OK–it is legal to declare another r here
     . . .
  }