C PROGRAMMING VIVA QUESTIONS

1) What is C language?
Ans:
 C is a programming language developed at AT & T’s Bell Laboratories of USA in 1972.
 The C programming language is a standardized programming language developed in the
early 1970s by Ken Thompson and Dennis Ritchie for use on the UNIX operating
system.
 It has since spread to many other operating systems, and is one of the most widely used
programming languages.

2) What is an algorithm?
Ans: An algorithm is a step-by-step method of performing any task.

3) What is a flow chart?

Ans: A flowchart is a type of diagram that represents an algorithm or process, showing
the steps as boxes of various kinds, and their order by connecting these with arrows.

4) What is a C Preprocessor?
Ans: C Preprocessor is a program that processes our source program before it is passed to
the compiler.

5) What is the use of header files as used in C programming?

Ans: Header files are used to have declarations. It contains list of various functions used
in program like stdio.h contains printf().

6) Explain some Header Files?

Ans:
Header
S.No Description
file
This is standard input/output header file in
1 stdio.h which Input/Output
functions are declared
2 conio.h This is console input/output header file
All string related functions are defined in this
3 string.h
header file
This header file contains general functions
4 stdlib.h
used in C programs
 All maths related functions are defined in this
5 math.h
header file

7) What is the use of main() function?

Ans: main() is the starting point of program execution.

8) What are the types of constants in c?

Ans: C constants can be divided into two categories:
1) Primary constants (Numerical)
2) Secondary constants (Character)

9) What is a Compiler?
Ans: A compiler is a computer program (or set of programs) that transforms source
code written in a programming language (the source language) into another computer
language (the target language, often having a binary form known as object code).

10) What is a Translator?

Ans: A translator is a computer program that translates a program written in a
given programming language into a functionally equivalent program in a different
language.

11) What is a Interpreter?

Ans: An Interpreter is a computer program that directly executes, i.e. performs,
instructions written in a programming or scripting language, without previously batch-
compiling them into machine language.

12) What is a Token in C?

Ans: A Token is the basic building block of a C. (or) the basic element recognized by
the compiler is the "token."
C Tokens are:
Key Words, Identifier, Constants, String – literal, Operator, Punctuators

13) What are Printf() and scanf() Functions :

Ans: printf() and scanf() functions are inbuilt library functions in C which are available
in which are available in “ stdio.h” header file.
 printf() function is used to print the “character, string, float, integer, octal and
hexadecimal values” onto the output screen.
 scanf() function is used to read character, string, numeric data from keyboard
14) What is a Data Type and List the different Data types?
Ans: C data types are defined as the data storage format that a variable can store a data to
perform a specific operation.
List of Data Types:
1) Basic Data Types: Int, Float, Char, Double, long int
2) Derived Data Type: Pointer, array, structure, union

15) What is Integer Data Type?

Ans:
Integer data type allows a variable to store numeric values.
 The storage size of int data type is 2 or 4 or 8 byte.
 int (2 byte) can store values from -32,768 to +32,767
 int (4 byte) can store values from -2,147,483,648 to +2,147,483,647.

storage
S.No C Data types Range
Size
(bytes)
1 char 1 –127 to 127
2 int 2 –32,767 to 32,767
1E–37 to 1E+37 with six digits of
3 float 4
precision
1E–37 to 1E+37 with ten digits of
4 double 8
precision
1E–37 to 1E+37 with ten digits of
5 long double 10
precision
6 long int 4 –2,147,483,647 to 2,147,483,647
7 short int 2 –32,767 to 32,767
Unsigned long
13 8 2(power)64 –1
long int
16) What is a Void Data Type?
Ans: Void is an empty data type that has no value.

17) What is a comment in C?

Ans: Comments are like helping text in your C program and they are ignored by the
compiler. We can write in between /* and */ or // (Line Comments)

18) What is an Identifier in C?

Ans: A C identifier is a name used to identify a variable, function, or any other user-
defined item. An identifier starts with a letter A to Z or a to z or an underscore _ followed
by zero or more letters, underscores, and digits (0 to 9). C does not allow punctuation
characters such as @, $, and % within identifiers. C is a case sensitive programming
language.

19) What is a Key word in C?

Ans: Keywords are reserved words in C and Keywords are may not be used as constant
or variable or any other identifier names.

20) How many Keywords are there in C and List out the Keywords?
Ans : There are 33 reserved keywords are there in C. They are:
auto else long switch
break enum register typedef
case extern return union
char float short unsigned
const for signed void
continue goto sizeof volatile
default if static while
do int struct _Packed
double
21) Define a Variable?
Ans: A variable is nothing but a name given to a storage area that our programs can
manipulate. Each variable in C has a specific type, which determines the size and layout
of the variable's memory.
Syntax for variable Declaration:
int i,j;
char c, ch;

22) What is the process of debugging or compilation for C Programs?

Ans: To check the errors in a program is called debugging or compilation. This process
done by 3 stage:
1) Checking Syntactic Errors: These errors occur due to the usage of wrong syntax
for the statements. (Short cut Key : ALT+F9)
2) Checking Run time Errors/ Linkage Errors: These Errors are determined at the
execution time of the program (EX: Divide a number by Zero, finding logarithm
of negative number, finding square root of negative number ,etc.)
3) Checking Linker Errors: These errors are occurred due to the linking of header
file to the current program (Short cut Key : CTRL+F9)
4) Checking Logical Errors: These Errors occur due to incorrect usage of the
instruction in the program. Logical Errors are determined by analyzing the outputs
for different possible inputs that can be applied to the program.

23) List some Syntactic Errors or Syntax Errors?

Ans: 1) Missing semicolon(Statement Missing ;)
2) Undeclared a variable name or Undefined symbol (Then check variable declaration
syntax and check for header file for some keywords)
3) ’)’ expected (Then check the no of parenthesis opened and closed)
4) Illegal string constant ( check for the last double quote in a string)
5) printf and scanf arguments should be placed in ( )
6) Compound statement missing (Check for the no of { and } are opened and closed)
7) Proto type missing error (Check for Function declaration statement)
8) Forgetting to put &,”, and comma operator in specific places.

9) Comparing strings with == operator

24) What is an Operator and list different types of operators in C?

Ans: The symbols which are used to perform logical and mathematical operations in a C
program are called C operators. The different operators in C are: Arithmetic operators,
Relational operators, Logical operators, Assignment operators, Increment and Decrement
operators, Conditional operators, Bitwise operators, Special operators

25) What are Arithmetic Operators?

 Ans: Arithmetic operators are used to perform mathematical calculations like addition,
subtraction, multiplication, division and modulus in C programs. (Like +,-,*,/,%)

26) What are Assignment Operators?

Ans: Values for the variables are assigned using assignment operators. There are two
types assignment operators are there:
1) Simple Assignment( = )
2) Compound Assignment (+= , -=, *=, %=)

27) What are Relational Operators?

Ans: Relational operators are used to find the relation between two variables. i.e. to
compare the values of two variables in a C program.. (Like >, <, >=, <=, !=, ==)

28) What are Logical Operators?

Ans: These operators are used to perform logical operations on the given expressions.
(Like &&, ||, !)

29) What are Bitwise Operators?

Ans: These operators are used to perform bit operations. Decimal values are converted
into binary values which are the sequence of bits and bit wise operators work on these
bits. (Like &, |, ~, ^, <<(Left Shift), >> (Right Shift))

30) What are Conditional (Ternary) Operators?

Ans: Conditional operators return one value if condition is true and returns another value
is condition is false. (Like: ? and : )

31) What are Increment / Decrement Operators?

Ans: Increment operators are used to increase the value of the variable by one and
decrement operators are used to decrease the value of the variable by one in C programs.
(Like ++, --)

32) What are Special Operators?

Ans: &(Address Operator), * (Pointer Operator), and Sizeof()

33) What is sizeof operator?

Ans: It returns the number of bytes the operand occupies.

34) What is pre-increment or post-increment?

Ans: ++n (pre increment) increments n before its value is used in an assignment
operation or any expression containing it. n++ (post increment) does increment after the
value of n is used.

35) What are the Format Specifiers or Type Specifiers or Conversion Specifiers?
 Ans: %d (Integer), %f (Float), %c (Character), %l (Long Integer), %s (Strings), %u
(Address with decimal value), %p (Address with Hexa Decimal Value in Small Letters),
%x ((Address with Hexa Decimal Value in Capital Letters)

36) What is a Statement in C?

Ans: A statement is a block of code that does something.

37) Different Types of Statements?

Ans: Null Statement, Expression Statement, Compound Statement, Return Statement,
Conditional Statements, Iterative or Looping Statements, Unconditional Statements

38) Define Null Statement?

Ans: A "null statement" is a statement containing only a semicolon;

39) Define Expression Statement?

Ans: When an expression statement is executed, the expression is evaluated according to
the rules outlined in Expressions and Assignments. E.g c=a+b;

40) Define Compound Statement?

Ans: A compound statement (also called a "block") typically appears as the body of
another statement which is in between { and }

41) Define Return Statement?

Ans: The return statement terminates the execution of a function and returns control to
the calling function. A return statement can also return a value to the calling function.

42) Define Conditional Statements and give the list of them?

Ans: Conditional Statements which allows to perform actions depending upon some
conditions provided by the programmer. The Different types of conditional statements
are:
1) If Statement
2) If else statement
3) Nested- if else statement
4) Switch Statement

43) Write the Syntax for IF Statement?

Ans: if ( <expression> )
<statement>

44) Write the Syntax for IF- ELSE Statement?

Ans: if ( <expression> )
<statement 1>
else
 <statement 2>

45) Write the Syntax for NESTED- IF - ELSE Statement?

Ans: if ( <expression1> )
{
if(<expression2>)
{
<Statements>
}
else
{
<Statements>
}
}
else
<statement>

46) Write the Syntax for Switch Case Statement?

Ans: switch ( <expression> )
( <case list> }

where
<case list>
is a sequence of
case <value>: <statement list>
break;
and optionally one
default: <statement list>
break;

47) What are Iterative or Looping Statements?

Ans: Iterative or Looping statement which executes the statements with in the compound
statement by checking the condition, and performs same set of statements as a iterative
process or as a loop until the condition false.
The Iterative or Looping Statements are: While, do-while, for

48) Write Syntax for WHILE Statement?

Ans: while ( <expression> )
<statement>

49) Write Syntax for DO- WHILE Statement?

Ans: do <statement>
while ( <expression> );
50) Write Syntax for FOR Statement?
Ans: for ( <Initialization>;<Condition>;<Increment/Decrement>)
<statement>
51) What is the difference between for loop and while loop?
Ans: For Loop is used to execute a set of statements in fixed number of times. We use
While loop when the number of iterations to be performed is not known in advance we
use while loop.

52) Define Break Statement, Write syntax for Break statement?

Ans: The break statement terminates the execution of the nearest
enclosing do, for, switch, or while statement in which it appears. Control passes to the
statement that follows the terminated statement.
Syntax:
break;

53) Define Continue Statement, Write syntax for Continue statement?

Ans: The continue statement passes control to the next iteration of the nearest
enclosing do, for, or while statement in which it appears
Syntax:
continue;
meaningful identifiers with constants, keywords, and statements or expressions.
54) What is the difference between #include< > and #include “ ”?
Ans:
 #include‹ ›
Specifically used for built in header files.
 #include “ ”
Specifically used for used for user defined/created n header file.

55) Define Array?

Ans: C Array is a collection of variables belongings to the same data type.
OR
An Array is a collection of Homogeneous or similar data type elements having unique
values, and stored ata different locations. You can store group of data of same data type
in an array.

56) Types of an Array?

Ans: There are 2 types of C arrays. They are,

1) One dimensional array

2) Multi dimensional array
i) Two dimensional array
 ii) Three dimensional array, four dimensional array etc…
57) What are the Characteristics of Arrays?
Ans:
 An array holds elements that have the same data type.

 Array elements are stored in subsequent memory locations

 Two-dimensional array elements are stored row by row in subsequent memory locations.
 Array name represents the address of the starting element

58) What is the syntax for One Dimensional Array, explain declaration, Initialization,
accessing the elements?
Ans:
Syntax : data-type arr_name[array_size];
Array
Array initialization Accessing array
declaration
Syntax:
data_type arr_name
data_type
[arr_size]= arr_name[index];
arr_name
(value1, value2, value3,….);
[arr_size];
age[0]; /*0 is accessed*/
int age [5]; int age[5]={0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5}; age[1]; /*1 is accessed*/
age[2]; /*2 is accessed*/
char str[10]={‘H’,‘a’,‘i’}; (or)
str[0];_/*H is accessed*/
char char str[0] = ‘H’;
str[1]; /*a is accessed*/
str[10]; char str[1] = ‘a’;
str[2]; /* i is accessed*/
char str[2] = ‘i;

59) What is the syntax for One Dimensional Array, explain declaration, Initialization,
accessing the elements?
Ans: Two dimensional array is nothing but array of array.
syntax : data_type array_name[num_of_rows][num_of_column]
S.no Array declaration Array initialization Accessing array
Syntax: data_type arr_name[2][2]
1 data_type arr_name = arr_name[index];
[num_of_rows][num_of_column]; {{0,0},{0,1},{1,0},{1,1}};
2 Example: int arr[2][2] = {1,2, 3, 4}; arr [0] [0] = 1;

int arr[2][2]; arr [0] ]1] = 2;

arr [1][0] = 3;
arr [1] [1] = 4;

60) How we can read or print the array elements?

 Ans: To read or print the array elements we need to use FOR Statement

61) Define a String?

Ans: C Strings are nothing but array of characters ended with null character (‘\0’).
Strings are always enclosed by double quotes. Whereas, character is enclosed by single
quotes in C.
Example:
char string[20] = { ‘H’ , ‘e’ , ‘l’ , ‘l’ , ‘o’ , ‘\0’}; (or)
char string[20] = “Hello”; (or)
char string [] = “Hello”;

62) Header used for String Functions?

Ans: #include<string.h>

63) List String Handling Functions or String Manipulation Functions?

Ans: strcat(), strncat(), strcmp(), strncmp(), strcmpi(), strcpy(), strncpy(), strlen(),
strchr(), strrchr(), strstr(),strrstr(), strrev()

Function Description Syntax

Name
strcat() Concatenates str2 at the end of str1. Strcat(str1,str2);
strncat() appends a portion of string to another Strcat(str1,str2,n); (First n
string characters of str2 are
appends to str1)
strcmp() Returns 0 if str1 is same as str2. Returns Strcmp(str1,str2);
<0 if strl < str2. Returns >0 if str1 > str2.
strcpy() Copies str2 into str1 Strcpy(str1,str2);
strlen() gives the length of string. Strlen(str);
Strrev() reverses the given string Strstr(str1);

64) What is the difference between strings and arrays?

Ans: String is a sequence of characters ending with NULL .it can be treated as a one
dimensional array of characters terminated by a NULL character.

65) Define Pointer with Syntax and example?

Ans: C Pointer is a variable that stores/points the address of another variable. C Pointer is
used to allocate memory dynamically i.e. at run time.
Syntax: data_type *var_name;
Example : int *p; char *p;
66) What are the uses of Pointers?
Ans: Pointer is used in the following cases

 It is used to access array elements.

 It is used for dynamic memory allocation.
 It is used in Call by reference.
 It is used in data structures like trees, graph, linked list etc.
67) What is the invalid pointer Arithmetic?
Ans:
 adding ,multiplying and dividing two pointers.

 Shifting or masking pointer.

 Addition of float or double to pointer
 Assignment of a pointer of one type to a pointer of another type

68) What is a pointer value and address?

Ans: A pointer value is a data object that refers to a memory location. Each memory
location is numbered in the memory. The number attached to a memory location is called
the address of the location.

69) How are Pointer Variables initialized?

Ans: Pointer variable are initialized in two ways:
 Static memory allocation
 Dynamic memory allocation
70) What is a pointer to pointer?
Ans: If a pointer variable points another pointer value. Such a situation is known as a
pointer to a pointer.
Example : int *p1,**p2,
v=10;
P1=&v;
p2=&p1;
Here p2 is a pointer to a pointer.
71) What are the advantages of using array of pointers to string instead of an array of
strings?
Ans: Efficient use of memory.
Easier to exchange the strings by moving their pointers while sorting.
72) What are the pointer declarations used in C?
Ans:
 Array of pointers, e.g , int *a[10]; Array of pointers to integer

 Pointers to an array,e.g , int (*a)[10]; Pointer to an array of into

 Function returning a pointer,e.g, float *f( ) ; Function returning a pointer to float
 Pointer to a pointer ,e.g, int **x; Pointer to apointer to int
 pointer to a data type ,e.g, char *p; pointer to char

73) What are the Advantages of Functions?

 Ans:
 It reduces the Complexity in a program by reducing the code.
 Function are easily understanding and reliability and execution is faster.
 It also reduces the Time to run a program.In other way, Its directly proportional to
Complexity.
 Its easy to find-out the errors due to the blocks made as function definition outside the
main function.

74) What is Recursion?

Ans: A recursion function is one which calls itself either directly or indirectly it must halt
at a definite point to avoid infinite recursion.

75) What is the difference between malloc( ) and calloc( ) Functions?

Ans:
 Malloc is used for memory allocation and initialize garbage values.malloc () for
allocating the single block of memory.
Syntax: *ptr-variable=(type-casting*)malloc(n*sizeof(DataType))
Example: *ptr=(int*)malloc(5*sizeof(int));

 Calloc is same as malloc but it initialize 0 value.calloc () for allocating multiple

blocks of memory.
Syntax: *ptr-variable=(type-casting*)calloc(n,sizeof(DataType))
Example: *ptr=(int*)calloc(5,sizeof(int));

76) What is the purpose of realloc?

Ans: It increases or decreases the size of dynamically allocated array. The function
realloc (ptr,n) uses two arguments. The first argument ptr is a pointer to a block of
memory for which the size is to be altered. The second argument specifies the new size.
The size may be increased or decreased. If sufficient space is not available to the old
region the function may create a new region.

77) What is an Argument?

Ans: An argument is an entity used to pass data from the calling to a called function.

78) What are Built-in-Functions/ Pre Defined Functions / Library Functions?

Ans: The functions that are predefined and supplied along with the compiler are known
as built in functions. They are also known as library functions.

79) What are the uses of Functions?

Ans:
 C functions are used to avoid rewriting same logic/code again and again in a program.
 There is no limit in calling C functions to make use of same functionality wherever
required.
 We can call functions any number of times in a program and from any place in a
program.
 A large C program can easily be tracked when it is divided into functions.
 The core concept of C functions are, re-usability, dividing a big task into small pieces
to achieve the functionality and to improve understandability of very large C
programs.

80) Define Function Declaration, Function Call and Function Definition with Syntaxes:
Ans:
 Function declaration or prototype - This informs compiler about the function
name, function parameters and return value’s data type.
 Function call – This calls the actual function
 Function definition – This contains all the statements to be executed.
C function
S.no syntax
aspects
function return_type function_name ( arguments list )
1
definition { Body of function; }
2 function call function_name ( arguments list );
function
3 return_type function_name ( argument list );
declaration

81) Define Call by Value?

Ans: In call by value method, the value of the variable is passed to the function as
parameter. The value of the actual parameter can not be modified by formal parameter.
Different Memory is allocated for both actual and formal parameters.
 Actual parameter – This is the argument which is used in function call.
 Formal parameter – This is the argument which is used in function definition

82) Define Call by Reference?

Ans: In call by reference method, the address of the variable is passed to the function as
parameter. The value of the actual parameter can be modified by formal parameter. Same
memory is used for both actual and formal parameters since only address is used by both
parameters.

83) Explain the Categories of Functions?

Ans:
S.no C function syntax
int function ( int ); // function declaration
with arguments and
function ( a ); // function call
1 with
int function( int a ) // function definition
return values
{statements; return a;}
 void function ( int ); // function declaration
with arguments and
function( a ); // function call
2 without
void function( int a ) // function definition
return values
{statements;}
void function(); // function declaration
without arguments
function(); // function call
3 and without
void function() // function definition
return values
{statements;}
int function ( ); // function declaration
without arguments
function ( ); // function call
4 and with
int function( ) // function definition
return values
{statements; return a;}

84) List some MATH.H Functions?

Ans:
S.no Function Description

This function is used to find square root of the argument

5 sqrt ( )
passed to this function.
6 pow ( ) This is used to find the power of the given number.