Many of you are running into "static context" problems in the Hammurabi assignment. Here are three approaches to solving the problems.

If you put everything in the main method

Since we haven't really covered methods yet, this is what I expected you to do. In this case, the solution is very simple: Declare all your variables in the main method. Like so:

class Hammurabi {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        int population = 100;
        int grainInStorage = 2800;
        etc.
    }
}

The advantages of this solution are (1) it's simple, and (2) you don't have to know anything about static variables and methods. It has the disadvantage that large monolithic programs like this are harder to read, understand, and debug.

If you create your own methods

Best solution:

• Declare your variables in the class:
  

  class Hammurabi {
      int population = 100;
      int grainInStorage = 2800;
      etc.

• Write your main method like this:
  

  public static void main(String[] args) {
      Hammurabi ruler = new Hammurabi();
      ruler.playGame();
  }

• Write as many methods as you like. You never have to use the word static again, and you call your methods with their simple names, such as displaySummary().

A workable (but ugly) solution:

Make all your variables, and all your methods, static.

class Hammurabi {
    static int population = 100;
    static int grainInStorage = 2800;
    etc.

    static void displaySummary() { ... }

    etc.
}