Trying to loop 6 times with a while loop

I'm trying to have my program loop 6 times. My problem is that it keeps going and doesn't stop after 6 times. I have answer, userGuess, and numOfGuesses as instance variables.

public static int guess(int userGuess){ 

System.out.println("Enter your guess");    
  
  while (numOfGuesses <= 6){  // this is my problem     
    numOfGuesses = numOfGuesses + 1 ;
    
  while (userGuess != answer){
       userGuess = scan.nextInt();    
                            
  if(userGuess < answer){                 
       System.out.println("Too low, try again");
    }
            
  else if(userGuess > answer){  
       System.out.println("Too high, try again");
    }                  
                       
  else{                   
   }                   
  } 
 }
// rest of method works fine 

This loop structure probably isn't what you want. In having 2 while loops, you are not actually capping the number of guesses in any way - all you do is re-run the guessing program 6 times. Additionally, since that inner while loop executes until the answer is exactly right, the user has no way of knowing if their guess was too low or too high. You probably want something like this instead:

public static int guess(int userGuess){ 
    do {
        System.out.println("Enter your guess: ");   
        userGuess = scan.nextInt();
        if (userGuess < answer) {                 
           System.out.println("Too low, try again");
        } else if (userGuess > answer) {  
            System.out.println("Too high, try again");
        } else {                   
            // todo tell the user they were right
        }
        numOfGuesses = numOfGuesses + 1;
    } while (numOfGuesses <= 6 && userGuess != answer);
    // in the case the user used up all their guesses, tell them they didn't get it right
    // todo return something here because this function is supposed to return an int
}

Also note my comment at the bottom, this method won't compile until the method returns something. I am also assuming that all referenced variables are defined elsewhere.

I am also suspicious of the parameter being userGuess - what would be the point of supplying a parameter we immediately overwrite? Perhaps the parameter is supposed to be answer instead?

One of the main problems in your program is that the conditions inside your while statements will not give you the outcome you want. Instead of two while loops you should use one instead with the conditions while(numOfGuesses<=6 && userGuess != answer). This is because the while loop will execute until it is run six times and if the user has not guessed the answer by then. Assuming you are using one class for your instance variables and methods, and another class which contains the main method you can try doing this instead.

public class guess {

 //these are your instance variables 
 int numOfGuesses=6;
 int tempNum =1;
 
 //answer can be any number. I use 2 as an example, this is the number to be guessed in 6 tries. 
 int answer = 2;
 

public void guess(int userGuess, int answer){ 
	  if(userGuess < answer){                 
	       System.out.println("Too low of a number");
	    }
	            
	  else if(userGuess>answer){  
	       System.out.println("Too high of a number");
	    }
	  //do something when user guesses answer. Example, end the program.
	  else if(userGuess==answer) {
	      //print the correct guess
	      System.out.println("You have guessed the correct answer " + answer);
	      
	      //exit out of entire program
	      System.exit(0);
  }
 }
}

The class above contains your instance variables but no main method and the guess method. So, create another class with a main method. This uses object oriented programming.

import java.util.Scanner;

public class guessTester { 
public static void main(String[] args) {
   //initialize userGuess
   int userGuess = 0;
   
   //input for scanner
   Scanner input = new Scanner(System.in);
   
   
   guess Guess = new guess();
	
    //while loop becomes false when numOfGuesses = 6 and the userGuess does not equal to the answer. 
	  while (Guess.tempNum<= Guess.numOfGuesses && userGuess != Guess.answer){  
		System.out.println("Enter a guess");
		userGuess = input.nextInt();
		   
		Guess.tempNum+=1;

	    Guess.guess(userGuess,Guess.answer);
	     
	    //if the temporary number is equal to number of guesses
	    if(Guess.tempNum -1 ==Guess.numOfGuesses) {
	    	System.out.println("You ran out of guesses ! ");
	    }
	  }	 
  }
}

I figured it out. I'll post the whole answer after my project is graded, but it requires a for loop.

Also, I hope this helps future students who are having trouble with the guessing game project. Obviously don't copy and paste, but use this as a starting point. This is the first place professors look to see if you copied code.

private static int setGuess(int userGuess){  
int differential = answer - guess;
String low = "Too low, try again ";
String high = "Too high, try again ";
String colder = "Getting colder";
String warmer = "Getting warmer";
System.out.println("Enter your guess.");
for(int i = 0; i < 6; i++){
while(userGuess != answer){
userGuess = scan.nextInt();
if (userGuess < answer){
System.out.println(low);
if(differential < 15){
System.out.println(colder);
}
else if (differential >= 15){
System.out.println(warmer);
} 
else{
}          
}  
else if (userGuess > answer){
System.out.println(high);
if(differential <= 15){
System.out.println(warmer);
}
else if (differential > 15){
System.out.println(colder);
} 
else{
}  
}
else{
}
}
}
if (userGuess == answer){
System.out.println("Congratulations! You guessed the number!");
} 
if (numOfGuesses == MAX_GUESSES_ALLOWED){
gameOver = true;
}
return userGuess;
}