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Arrays and Pointers in C

The document provides an overview of arrays and pointers in C programming, highlighting their definitions, key operations, and the relationship between them. It emphasizes the importance of pointers for efficient data management, dynamic memory access, and passing arrays to functions. Additionally, it addresses common mistakes to avoid when working with pointers and arrays.

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THEJAS KUMAR
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32 views12 pages

Arrays and Pointers in C

The document provides an overview of arrays and pointers in C programming, highlighting their definitions, key operations, and the relationship between them. It emphasizes the importance of pointers for efficient data management, dynamic memory access, and passing arrays to functions. Additionally, it addresses common mistakes to avoid when working with pointers and arrays.

Uploaded by

THEJAS KUMAR
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Arrays and Pointers in C

Programming

Understanding Fundamentals and Applications

Presented by Thejaskumar B R
Introduction
• Arrays: A collection of elements of the same data
type stored in contiguous memory.
• Pointers: Variables that store the memory address
of another variable.

• Purpose:
- Efficient data management and manipulation.
- Foundation for advanced concepts like dynamic
memory allocation.
Arrays in C
• Definition:
dataType arrayName[size];

• Example:
int numbers[5] = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5};

• Key Points:
- Fixed size.
- Indexed starting from 0.
Common Array Operations
1. Initialization:
int arr[3] = {10, 20, 30};

2. Accessing Elements:
printf("%d", arr[0]); // Prints 10

3. Traversing:
for(int i = 0; i < 3; i++) printf("%d", arr[i]);

4. Modifying Elements:
arr[1] = 40;
Pointers in C
- Definition: A pointer is a variable that holds
the address of another variable.

- Syntax:
dataType *pointerName;

- Example:
int num = 10;
int *ptr = &num; // Pointer stores the address of num
Relationship Between Arrays and Pointers

- Pointer Representation of Arrays:


int arr[3] = {10, 20, 30};
int *ptr = arr;
printf("%d", *(ptr + 1)); // Prints 20

- Key Point: The name of the array represents


the address of its
first element.
Why Use Pointers with Arrays?
1. Dynamic memory access.
2. Simplified data handling.
3. Efficient iteration using pointer arithmetic.
4. Useful in passing arrays to functions.
Passing Arrays to Functions Using Pointers
- Code Example:

void printArray(int *arr, int size) {


for (int i = 0; i < size; i++)
printf("%d ", *(arr + i));
}
int main() {
int numbers[] = {1, 2, 3};
printArray(numbers, 3);
}
Avoiding Common Mistakes
1. Forgetting the `*` or `&` in pointer operations.

2. Exceeding array bounds.

3. Using uninitialized pointers (causes


segmentation faults).

4. Mixing pointer types.


Key Takeaways
- Arrays store multiple elements; pointers store
memory addresses.

- Pointers enhance array manipulation.

- Understand memory layout for debugging


efficiency.
Questions?

Let’s clarify any doubts about arrays and


pointers!
Thank You!

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