OutsideInMethodNesting

Correction

Here is what's right.

The correct way to execute nested method calls is inside out. For example, when evaluating the expression a(b()), first b() is called, producing a value, then a() is called, receiving the return value of b() as an argument.

The corresponding expression tree looks as follows. First b() is called, returning a value of type T, and then a() is called with this value as an argument.

Note that for this composition of the two methods to work, the return type of b() needs to be compatible with the parameter type of a().

The fact that the call a() needs the return value of b() as an argument implies that b() has to be called before a(), and thus that these calls evaluate from the inside out.

Symptoms

How do you know your students might have this misconception?

This misconception occurred quite regularly, even for strong students. Here are two diagnostic probes to detect it.

Expression Tree

Ask students to draw a tree for the expression a(b()). Students with this misconception may draw the following incorrect tree, where the inner piece of the expression—b()— is drawn as the root:

Call Trace

Ask student to produce a call trace for code including the following statement:

compute(left.eval(), right.eval());

Students with this misconception may produce the following incorrect trace:

CALL compute
RETURN compute
CALL eval
RETURN eval
CALL eval
RETURN eval