for ( int index=0; index <x.length; index++ )

  if ( x[index] > max )

    max = x[index] ;

Using the Method

public class ArrayDemo
{
  public static void main ( String[] args ) 
  {
    int[] ar1 =  { -20, 19, 1, 5, -1, 27, 19, 5 } ;
    int biggest = ArrayOps.findMax( ar1 );  // call findMax() with a reference to the array
    System.out.println("The maximum is: " + biggest );
  }
} 

class ArrayOps
{                                        // the parameter x will contain the array reference
  public static int findMax( int[] x )   // this method is called with.                     
  {
    int max = x[0];
    for ( int index=0; index < x.length; index++ )
      if ( x[index] > max )
        max = x[index] ;

    return max ;
  }
}     

The program demonstrates the ArrayOps class.

• The program defines a class called ArrayDemo.
• ArrayDemo holds the static main() method.
• main() creates an array object referenced by ar1
• The findMax() method of the ArrayOps class is called with a reference to the array object as an actual parameter.
  • In the picture, this is the red arrow.
• findMax() uses the reference to access the array
• findMax() scans the array for the maximum

When you run the program it prints out "The maximum is: 27". You might want to copy this program to a file (call it ArrayDemo.java) and play with it.