About Question enthuware.ocajp.i.v7.2.1095 :

[boonnick]

Seeing that public short getValue(){ return 1; } compiles ok in that the literal int gets returned as a short, is it that the return statement acts like an assignment, and there's implicit narrowing?

[admin]

Since 1 is a compile time constant and fits into a short, it works fine. If you have something like:
int i = 1;
return i;
it will not work.
HTH,
Paul.

[meghajor]

It says "the return type of the overriding method must match exactly to the return type of the overridden method if the return type is a primitive."
The return types for the base and subclass differs here.
The return type byte fits within short. Is that why it invokes Base 2's method?
So the primitives be exact?

[admin]

It says "the return type of the overriding method must match exactly to the return type of the overridden method if the return type is a primitive."
The return types for the base and subclass differs here.

That is why the correct answer is "Compilation fails".