Answer:

Yes. The method just returns a reference to the String itself. No new object is created.

Example Program Extended

import java.awt.*;
class PointEg3
{

  public static void main ( String arg[] )
  {
    Point a = new Point();              // declarations and construction combined
    Point b = new Point( 12, 45 );
    Point c = new Point( b );

    System.out.println( a ); // create a temporary String based on "a", print it out
    System.out.println( b ); // create a temporary String based on "b", print it out
    System.out.println( c ); // create a temporary String based on "c", print it out
  }
}

The example program has been changed, yet again. The program prints out:

java.awt.Point[x=0,y=0]
java.awt.Point[x=12,y=45]
java.awt.Point[x=12,y=45]

This program is deceptively short. However, its execution calls for quite a bit of activity.

QUESTION 11:

Just as the program is about to close, how many objects have been created?

How many object references are there?

Has any garbage been created?