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1Z0-811 Object-Oriented Programming Practice Question

Exhibit

javac Test.java
Test.java:5: error: cannot find symbol
    System.out.println(value);
                        ^
  symbol:   variable value
  location: class Test

Refer to the exhibit.

What is the likely cause?

⚠ Common exam trap

Oracle often tests the difference between 'undeclared', 'out of scope', and 'uninitialized' by presenting an error message that could be interpreted in multiple ways, and the trap is that candidates confuse 'undeclared' with 'out of scope' because both produce a 'cannot find symbol' error, but only the former means the variable was never declared at all.

Answer choices

Why each option matters

Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.

Correct answer & explanation

✓

The variable 'value' is not declared

The error message indicates that the variable 'value' has not been declared before use. In Java, every variable must be declared with a type and name before it can be referenced. The compiler cannot find a declaration for 'value' in the current scope, so it reports a 'cannot find symbol' error, which is the typical symptom of an undeclared variable.

Answer analysis

Option-by-option breakdown

For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.

✗
The package is missing
Why it's wrong here
A missing package would cause a different error, not 'cannot find symbol'.
✓
The variable 'value' is not declared
Why this is correct
The error indicates that the symbol 'value' cannot be found, meaning it is not declared in the class.
✗
The class name is misspelled
Why it's wrong here
A misspelled class name would cause a different error.
✗
The variable 'value' is out of scope
Why it's wrong here
A scope issue would typically produce a different error, but if not declared, it's not a scope issue.
✗
The variable 'value' is declared but not initialized
Why it's wrong here
An uninitialized variable would cause a 'variable might not have been initialized' error, not 'cannot find symbol'.

Go deeper

1Z0-811 Object-Oriented Programming Practice Question

Exhibit

Why each option matters

Option-by-option breakdown

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