CodeIEB
Theory Notes/🗄️ Topic 4: Data & Information Management, Solution Development/12.4.6
12.4.6Grade 12

Transferring Complex Data Between Objects

Extending 11.4.6's parameter passing and return values to work with arrays and arrays of objects.

Passing an entire array (or an array of objects) as a method parameter, allowing a method to process a whole collection of data at once rather than one item at a time.

Example

public double calculateAverage(int[] marks) { int total = 0; for (int mark : marks) { total += mark; } return (double) total / marks.length; }

Typed methods can also return an entire array or an array of objects — useful for methods that filter, transform, or build a new collection from existing data.

Example

public Learner[] getTopPerformers(Learner[] allLearners, double threshold) { // ... logic to filter and return only qualifying Learner objects as a new array }

💡 Exam Tip

Passing arrays by reference (as in Java) means a method can directly modify the original array's contents — be intentional about whether a method should modify the original data or return a new, separate array.