C Arrays

What is an Array?

An array is a collection of variables of the same type stored in a single block of memory.

Arrays allow you to store multiple values using one variable name.

Declaring and Initializing Arrays

You can declare an array and initialize it at the same time.

The number inside brackets defines the size of the array.

Accessing Elements

Array elements are accessed using an index.

Indexing starts at 0.

Modifying Elements

You can change values in an array by assigning a new value to an index.

Looping Through Arrays

Arrays are commonly used with loops to process multiple values.

Array Size

You can calculate the number of elements using sizeof().

Memory Layout

Arrays are stored in contiguous memory locations.

This means each element is stored next to the previous one.

Arrays and Pointers

In C, arrays are closely related to pointers.

The array name represents the address of the first element.

Multidimensional Arrays

Arrays can have multiple dimensions, like a table or matrix.

Common Mistakes

Be careful with these:

• Accessing out-of-bounds indexes
• Forgetting array size
• Confusing arrays with pointers

Why Arrays are Important

Arrays are fundamental in C and are used in almost every program.

• Store multiple values efficiently
• Used with loops and algorithms
• Foundation for strings and data structures

Practice

Create an array of integers and print all elements using a loop.

Need Help?