Properties of Arrays in C

Arrays in C are a fundamental data structure that allows you to store multiple values of the same type in a single variable. This post explores the key properties and concepts related to arrays in C.

Key Concepts

Homogeneous Data Types: All elements in an array must be of the same data type. For example:

float prices[5]; // An array of 5 float values

Fixed Size: The size of an array must be specified at the time of declaration and cannot be changed later. For example:

int arr[10]; // An array with 10 elements

Indexing: Array elements are accessed using an index, which starts from 0. For example:

numbers[0] = 10; // Assigns the value 10 to the first element

Definition: An array is a collection of variables that are accessed with a single name and indexed with an integer. For example:

int numbers[5]; // This declares an array of 5 integers

Properties of Arrays

• Memory Allocation: Arrays are stored in contiguous memory locations, which allows efficient access to elements.

Passing Arrays to Functions: You can pass arrays to functions, but remember they decay to pointers when passed. For example:

void printArray(int arr[], int size) {
    for (int i = 0; i < size; i++) {
        printf("%d ", arr[i]);
    }
}

Multidimensional Arrays: C supports multidimensional arrays, which are essentially arrays of arrays. For example:

int matrix[3][4]; // A 2D array with 3 rows and 4 columns

Initialization: Arrays can be initialized at the time of declaration. For example:

int days[3] = {1, 2, 3}; // Initializes the array with values

Example

Here’s a simple example that demonstrates how to create and use an array in C:

#include <stdio.h>

int main() {
    int scores[5] = {90, 85, 88, 92, 80}; // Declaration and initialization

    // Accessing and printing array elements
    for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
        printf("Score %d: %d\n", i + 1, scores[i]);
    }

    return 0;
}

Output

Score 1: 90
Score 2: 85
Score 3: 88
Score 4: 92
Score 5: 80

Conclusion

Understanding the properties of arrays in C is essential for effective programming. They provide a way to manage collections of data efficiently and are widely used in various applications.