Introduction

Ordinary variables are capable of holding only one

value at a time.
We want to find the average value of a village having
population of 500.
Solution 1 : Construct 500 variables to store the age
of the persons.
Solution 2 : Construct a single variable capable of
storing or holding all the 500 values.
It is easier to handle one variable than handling 500
variables.

Introduction
This single variable capable of storing or holding all

the 500 values is the array.

Definition : A set of similar data types is called array.
An array is a collective name given to a group of similar
quantities.
Each member in the group is referred to by its position
in its group.
Array is a collection of similar elements.
These similar elements can be all ints or all floats or all
characters etc.

Introduction
Array Declaration :

int marks[5];
Type of variables : Integer
Dimension : 5
marks : Name of the variable
[ ] : Indication of an array
Each member in the array is referred to by its position.
Position is from 0 to 4.

Entering the Data into an array

Enter marks of 5 students.

for(i = 0;i<5;i++)
{
printf(Enter the marks :);
scanf(%d, &marks[i]);
}

Reading Data from an array

Find average of 5 student marks

for(i = 0;i<5;i++)
sum = sum + marks[i];
average = sum/5;

Array Initialization
Array Initialization :
int marks[5] = {32,45,56,67,78}
int marks[ ] = {32,45,56,67,78}
Array elements are always stored in contiguous

locations.
marks[0]marks[1]marks[2]marks[3]marks[4]
32

45

2004

2006

56

2008

67

78

2010

2012

Bound Checking
In C there is no check to see if the subscript used for

an array exceeds the size of the array.

There will be no error message for you that you are
going beyond the size of an array.
It can overwrite the contents of other variables in
memory and thus it can generate unpredictable
outputs.
It is programmers responsibility to check for this.

Passing array element to a function

We can pass the array elements by value or by

reference.
In call by value, we pass the values of array elements
to the function.
In call by reference, we pass the address of array
elements to the function.

Call by Value
main()
{
int i, marks[5] = {32,45,56,67,78}
for(i = 0;i<5;i++)
findsum(marks[i]);
}
findsum(int m)
{
static int sum;
sum = sum + m;
printf(Sum = %d, sum);
}

Call by Reference
main()
{
int i, marks[5] = {32,45,56,67,78}
for(i = 0;i<5;i++)
findsum(&marks[i]);
}
findsum(int *m)
{
static int sum;
sum = sum + *m;
printf(Sum = %d, sum);
}

Pointer
main()
{
int i = 3,*x;
x = &i;
//consider the address of i is 2004
printf(\n Content of x: %u, x);
x++;
printf(\n Content of x: %u, x);
x--;
printf(\n Content of x: %u, x);
}
A Pointer when incremented, points to an immediately
next location of its type.

Possible Operations on Pointer

Addition of a number to a pointer.

int i = 3,*x;
x= &i;
//consider the address of i is 2004
x = x + 2;
Subtraction of a number to a pointer.
int i = 3,*x;
x= &i;
//consider the address of i is 2004
x = x - 2;

Contd
Subtraction of one pointer from another
One pointer variable can be subtracted from another
provided both point to the elements of the same array.
Resulting value indicate the number of values stored
between those two pointers.
int marks[5] = {32,45,56,67,78}
int *i,*j;
i = &marks[1];
j = &marks[4];
printf(%d, j i);

Contd
Comparison of two pointer variables
Pointer variables can be compared provided both
variables point to objects of the same data type.
int marks[5] = {32,45,56,67,78}
int *i,*j;
i = &marks[1];
j = &marks[4];
j = j 3;
if(i = = j)
printf(Both point to the same location.);

Operations on Pointer
which are NOT possible
Addition of two pointers
Multiplication of a pointer with a constant
Division of a pointer with a constant

Access of array elements

using pointer
main()
{
int i, marks[5] = {32,45,56,67,78}
int *j;
j = &marks[0];
//Points to the first element
for(i = 0;i<5;i++)
{
printf(\n Address of element = %u, j);
printf(\n Value of element = %d, *j);
j++;
}
}

Passing an entire array

to a function
main()
{
int marks[5] = {32,45,56,67,78}
findsum(&marks[0],5)
}
findsum(int *base, int length)
{
int i, sum = 0;
for(i = 0 ; i<length ; i++)
{
sum = sum + *base;
base++;
}
printf(Sum = %d, sum);
}

Passing an entire array

to a function
main()
{
int marks[5] = {32,45,56,67,78}
findsum(marks,5)
}
findsum(int *base, int length)
{
int i, sum = 0;
for(i = 0 ; i<length ; i++)
{
sum = sum + *base;
base++;
}
printf(Sum = %d, sum);
}

Passing an entire array

to a function
main()
{
int marks[5] = {32,45,56,67,78}
findsum(marks + 0,5)
}
findsum(int *base, int length)
{
int i, sum = 0;
for(i = 0 ; i<length ; i++)
{
sum = sum + *base;
base++;
}
printf(Sum = %d, sum);
}

Possible notations for

pointer to array
In array marks[5], marks gives the base address of

the array i.e. address of the 0th element.

marks
marks + 0
0 + marks
&marks[0]
&0[marks]
all are same. They gives the base address only.

Contd
*marks
*(marks + 0)
*(0 + marks)
marks[0]
0[marks]
All will give the value of the first element of array.

Thank You