Abstraction

Abstraction is the idea that a large problem can be broken down into multiple smaller repeatable tasks.

Let's say you are trying to writing a method that creates a square. You can break this method down into repeatable steps:

• create the line
• turn 90 degrees right

So this is your new method for creating the square (assume the all methods have been created):

public void createSquare(){

     for(int i = 0; i < 4; i++){

         createLine();

         turn90();

     }

}

Free Response

On the free response section on the AP exam, you will be asked to write multiple methods. In some methods, you can use the previous method you wrote for that particular problem. In fact, you have to use the previous methods if it says you can.