$2\mathrm{.}8$ Creating Named Constants with

final

CONCEPT: The final key word can be used in a variable declaration

to make the variable a named constant. Named constants are initialized

with a value, and that value cannot change during the execution of the

program.

Assume that the following statement appears in a banking program that

calculates data pertaining to loans:

amount $=$ balance $*0\mathrm{.}069$ ;

In such a program, two potential problems arise. First, it is not clear to

anyone other than the original programmer what $0\mathrm{.}069$ is$.$ It appears to be

an interest rate, but in some situations there are fees associated with loan

payments. How can the purpose of this statement be determined without

painstakingly checking the rest of the program?