Multi-part Q3

Multi-part Q3: part (a) computes, part (b) consumes part (a).

"You may write a private helper."

// (a) private int maxGap(ArrayList<Integer> temps):
//     largest difference between ADJACENT entries; 0 for size < 2.
private int maxGap(ArrayList<Integer> temps) {
    if (temps.size() < 2) { return 0; }
    int best = 0;
    for (int i = 1; i < temps.size(); i++) {
        int gap = Math.abs(temps.get(i) - temps.get(i - 1));
        if (gap > best) { best = gap; }
    }
    return best;
}

// (b) public boolean unstable(ArrayList<Integer> temps):
//     true when maxGap is 10 or more.
public boolean unstable(ArrayList<Integer> temps) {
    return maxGap(temps) >= 10;
}

Part (a) is adjacency + accumulator; part (b) is one comparison. The exam's part (b) often flips a perspective: "for how many positions is the gap ≥ 10?" — then (b) counts gaps qualifying instead of returning a boolean, reusing the same helper.

Grade-hunting insight: if (b) is stuck, shipping a correct (a) with a correct helper still banks most of the question's points. Never sacrifice (a)'s correctness to gamble on (b).