Compiler error: "class, interface, or enum expected"

Question

I have been troubleshooting this program for hours, trying several configurations, and have had no luck. It has been written in java, and has 33 errors (lowered from 50 before)

Source Code:

/*This program is named derivativeQuiz.java, stored on a network drive I have permission to edit
The actual code starts below this line (with the first import statement) */
import java.util.Random;
import java.Math.*;
import javax.swing.JOptionPane;
public static void derivativeQuiz(String args[])
{
    // a bunch of code
}

The error log (compiled in JCreator):

--------------------Configuration: <Default>--------------------
H:\Derivative quiz\derivativeQuiz.java:4: class, interface, or enum expected
public static void derivativeQuiz(String args[])
              ^
H:\Derivative quiz\derivativeQuiz.java:9: class, interface, or enum expected
    int maxCoef = 15;
    ^
H:\Derivative quiz\derivativeQuiz.java:10: class, interface, or enum expected
    int question = Integer.parseInt(JOptionPane.showInputDialog(null, "Please enter the number of questions you wish to test on: "));
    ^
H:\Derivative quiz\derivativeQuiz.java:11: class, interface, or enum expected
    int numExp = Integer.parseInt(JOptionPane.showInputDialog(null, "Please enter the maximum exponent allowed (up to 5 supported):" ));
    ^
H:\Derivative quiz\derivativeQuiz.java:12: class, interface, or enum expected
    Random random = new Random();
    ^
H:\Derivative quiz\derivativeQuiz.java:13: class, interface, or enum expected
    int coeff;
    ^
H:\Derivative quiz\derivativeQuiz.java:14: class, interface, or enum expected
    String equation = "";
    ^
H:\Derivative quiz\derivativeQuiz.java:15: class, interface, or enum expected
    String deriv = "";
    ^
H:\Derivative quiz\derivativeQuiz.java:16: class, interface, or enum expected
    for(int z = 0; z <= question; z++)
    ^
H:\Derivative quiz\derivativeQuiz.java:16: class, interface, or enum expected
    for(int z = 0; z <= question; z++)
                   ^
H:\Derivative quiz\derivativeQuiz.java:16: class, interface, or enum expected
    for(int z = 0; z <= question; z++)
                                  ^
H:\Derivative quiz\derivativeQuiz.java:19: class, interface, or enum expected
        deriv = "";
        ^
H:\Derivative quiz\derivativeQuiz.java:20: class, interface, or enum expected
        if(numExp >= 5)
        ^
H:\Derivative quiz\derivativeQuiz.java:23: class, interface, or enum expected
            equation = coeff + "X^5 + ";
            ^
H:\Derivative quiz\derivativeQuiz.java:24: class, interface, or enum expected
            deriv = coeff*5 + "X^4 + ";
            ^
H:\Derivative quiz\derivativeQuiz.java:25: class, interface, or enum expected
        }
        ^
H:\Derivative quiz\derivativeQuiz.java:29: class, interface, or enum expected
            equation = equation + coeff + "X^4 + ";
            ^
H:\Derivative quiz\derivativeQuiz.java:30: class, interface, or enum expected
            deriv = deriv + coeff*4 + "X^3 + ";
            ^
H:\Derivative quiz\derivativeQuiz.java:31: class, interface, or enum expected
        }
        ^
H:\Derivative quiz\derivativeQuiz.java:35: class, interface, or enum expected
            equation = equation + coeff + "X^3 + ";
            ^
H:\Derivative quiz\derivativeQuiz.java:36: class, interface, or enum expected
            deriv = deriv + coeff*3 + "X^2 + ";
            ^
H:\Derivative quiz\derivativeQuiz.java:37: class, interface, or enum expected
        }
        ^
H:\Derivative quiz\derivativeQuiz.java:41: class, interface, or enum expected
            equation = equation + coeff + "X^2 + ";
            ^
H:\Derivative quiz\derivativeQuiz.java:42: class, interface, or enum expected
            deriv = deriv + coeff*2 + "X + ";
            ^
H:\Derivative quiz\derivativeQuiz.java:43: class, interface, or enum expected
        }
        ^
H:\Derivative quiz\derivativeQuiz.java:47: class, interface, or enum expected
            equation = equation + coeff + "X + ";
            ^
H:\Derivative quiz\derivativeQuiz.java:48: class, interface, or enum expected
            deriv = deriv + coeff;
            ^
H:\Derivative quiz\derivativeQuiz.java:49: class, interface, or enum expected
        }
        ^
H:\Derivative quiz\derivativeQuiz.java:53: class, interface, or enum expected
            equation = equation + coeff;
            ^
H:\Derivative quiz\derivativeQuiz.java:54: class, interface, or enum expected

            if(deriv == "")
            ^
H:\Derivative quiz\derivativeQuiz.java:57: class, interface, or enum expected
            }
            ^
H:\Derivative quiz\derivativeQuiz.java:114: class, interface, or enum expected
    JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(null, "Question " + z + "\\" + question + "\nDerivative: " + deriv);
    ^
H:\Derivative quiz\derivativeQuiz.java:115: class, interface, or enum expected
    }
    ^
33 errors

Process completed.

I feel like this is a basic error, and yet I can't seem to find it. If it makes a difference, I am using JCreator to compile and everything is installed correctly.

UPDATE: I have fixed the errors involved (Class declaration and incorrect import statements (someone went back and deleted a few semicolons))

Working code:

import java.util.Random;
import javax.swing.JOptionPane;
import java.lang.String;
public class derivativeQuiz_source{
public static void main(String args[])
{
    //a bunch more code
}
}

Thanks for all the help

Answer 1

You miss the class declaration.

public class DerivativeQuiz{
   public static void derivativeQuiz(String args[]){ ... }
}

Answer 2

Every method should be within a class. Your method derivativeQuiz is outside a class.

public class ClassName {

 ///your methods
}