Scala Error: identifier expected but '}' found

Question

I'm trying to figure out this compile error:

Error:(51, 4) identifier expected but '}' found.
  } else if (n < 0) {
  ^

For this code:

def nthPowerOfX(n: Int, x:Double) : Double = {
  if (n == 0) {
     1.0
  } else if (n < 0) {
     1.0 / nthPowerOfX(n,x)
  } else if (n % 2 == 0 && n > 0) {
    nthPowerOfX(2, nthPowerOfX(n/2,x))
  } else {
    x*nthPowerOfX(n-1, x)
  }
}

I tried return statements too but that didn't help nor should it matter to my understanding.

There is no syntax error in your snippet, maybe in other part of your code. Also consider using pattern matching instead of if else — Jozef Dúc

Bartek Bartek · Accepted Answer · 2017-03-09T08:26:43

Jozef is right! There is no error. Please consider using this:

  def nthPowerOfX(n: Int, x:Double) : Double = {
    n match{
      case 0 => 1.0
      case x if x < 0 => 1.0 / nthPowerOfX(n,x)
      case x if x % 2 == 0 && x > 0 => nthPowerOfX(2, nthPowerOfX(n/2,x))
      case x => x*nthPowerOfX(n-1, x)
    }
  }

But keep in mind that recursion is dangerous thing, it's better to use tail recursion, if we are talking about Scala.

Scala Error: identifier expected but '}' found

1 Answers