A problem with infinite loop

Question

Hi there! My program has to get data on two species in any order and respond by telling how many years it will take for the species with lower population outnumber the species that starts with higher population. If the species with the smaller population never outnumbers the species with the higher population I'll get an infinite loop. What is the right approach here?
Thanks.
public class Species
private String name1;name2
private int population1, population2;
private double growthRate1, growthRate2;
public void readInput( )
System.out.println("What is the first species' name?");
name1 = SavitchIn.readLine( );
System.out.println("What is the population of the species?");
population1 = SavitchIn.readLineInt( );
while (population1 < 0)
System.out.println("Population cannot be negative.");
System.out.println("Reenter population:");
population1 = SavitchIn.readLineInt( );
System.out.println(
"Enter growth rate (percent increase per year):");
growthRate1 = SavitchIn.readLineDouble( );
ystem.out.println("What is the second species' name?");
name2 = SavitchIn.readLine( );
System.out.println("What is the population of
the species?");
population2 = SavitchIn.readLineInt( );
while (population2 < 0)
System.out.println("Population cannot be negative.");
System.out.println("Reenter population:");
population2 = SavitchIn.readLineInt( );
System.out.println(
"Enter growth rate (percent increase per year):");
growthRate2 = SavitchIn.readLineDouble( );
public void writeOutput( )
System.out.println("Name of the species' = " + name1);
System.out.println("Population = " + population1);
System.out.println("Growth rate = " + growthRate1 + "%");
System.out.println("Name of the species' = " + name2);
System.out.println("Population = " + population2);
System.out.println("Growth rate = " + growthRate2 + "%");
public void OutnumbersPopulation()
double max, min;
int years=0
if(population1>population2)// this is to determine which population is smaller
max=population1;
min=population2;
else if (population2>population1)
max=population2;
min=population1;
while ((years > 0) && (min <=max))//This could be an infinite loop if min never outnumbers max
min= (min +
(growthRate/100) * min);
max=(max + (growthRate/100) * max);
years ++;
System.out.println("The species with the lower population will outnumber the species with higher population
in" + (years+1) + "years");

Answer 1

Cross post. original is in "New to Java Technology".