Two-Dimensional Arrays

15-110 Summer 2010

Margaret Reid-Miller
 Two-Dimensional Arrays
• Arrays that we have consider up to now are one-
dimensional arrays, a single line of elements.
• Often data come naturally in the form of a table, e.g.,
spreadsheet, which need a two-dimensional array.
• Examples:
• Lab book of multiple readings over several days
• Periodic table
• Movie ratings by multiple reviewers.
• Each row is a different reviewer
• Each column is a different movie

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 Two-Dimensional Arrays
• Two-dimensional (2D) arrays are indexed by two
subscripts, one for the row and one for the column.
• Example:
rating
row col movie (second index)
0 1 2 3
rating[0][2] = 2! reviewer 0 4 6 2 5
!rating[1][3] = 8! (first 1 7 9 4 8
index)
2 6 9 3 7

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 Similarity with 1D Arrays
• Each element in the 2D array must by the same type,
• either a primitive type or object type.
• Subscripted variables can be use just like a variable:
! rating[0][3] = 10;!

• Array indices must be of type int and can be a

literal, variable, or expression.
rating[3][j] = j;!

• If an array element does not exists, the Java runtime

system will give you an
! !ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException

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 Declaring 2D Arrays
• Declare a local variable rating that references a 2D
array of int:
int[][] rating;
• Declare a field family that reference a 2D array of
GiftCards:
private GiftCard[][] family;!
• Create a 2D array with 3 rows and 4 columns and
assign the reference to the new array to rating:
rating = new int[3][4];!

• Shortcut to declare and create a 2D array:

int[][] rating = new int[3][4];
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 Example 1
• Find the average rating by the reviewer in row 2.

int sum = 0;!

for (int col = 0; col <= 3; col++) {!

! sum += rating[2][col];!
}!
double average = (double) sum / 4;!
movie
0 1 2 3
0 4 6 2 5
reviewer
1 7 9 4 8
2 6 9 3 7
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 Size of 2D Arrays
• When you write a method that has a 2D array as a
parameter, how do you determine the size of the
array?
words !
Hint:
• Consider a variable words, a 1D 0 this!
array of String references.
• What is the length of the array? 1 that!
• What is the length of the word at 2
index 2? what!

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 2D Array Implementation
• A 2D array is a 1D array of (references to) 1D arrays.

int[][] rating = new int[3][4];!

0 1 2 3

0
1
2

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 Size of 2D Arrays
• Given
! !int[][] rating = new int[3][4];

• What is the value of rating.length?

Answer: 3, the number of rows (first dimension)

• What is the value of rating[0].length? !

Answer: 4, the number of columns (second dimension)

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 Example 2
• Find the number of ratings above the value of the
parameter.
public int countAbove(int[][] rating, int num) {!

int count = 0;! number of rows

for (int row = 0; row < rating.length!

; row++) {!

for (int col = 0; col < rating[0].length!; col++) {!

! if (rating[row][col] > num)!
count++; !
}! number of columns
}!
return count;!
} !
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 Example 3
movie
• Print the average rating for 0 1 2 3
the movie in column 3. 0 4 6 2 5

reviewer
1 7 9 4 8
2 6 9 3 7
int sum = 0;!

for (int row = 0; row < rating.length

______________ ; row++) {!

!sum += rating[_____][____];!
row 3!
}!

System.out.println((double) sum / rating.length

______________ );!

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 Ragged Arrays
• Since a 2D array is a 1D array of references to 1D
arrays, each of these latter 1D arrays (rows) can
have a different length.

• How? Use an initializer list.

row 1 row 2
! !int[][] rating = { {3,5,7,9}, {4,2}, !
{5,7,8,6}, {6} };!
3 5 7 9
4 2
5 7 8 6
6
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 Example 3 Revisited
• Print the average rating for the movie in column 3.
int count = 0;!
double sum = 0;!

for (int row = 0; row < rating.length; row++) {!

rating[row].length > 3) {!
! if (_____________________
3 5 7 9
row 3!
sum += rating[_____][_____];! 4 2
count++;!
}! 5 7 8 6
}!
6
if (count > 0) {!
System.out.println((double) sum / count);!
}!

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 2D Array of Object References
• Recall that creating an array of object
references fills the array with null values.
• Example:

GiftCard[][] family = new GiftCard[3][4]!

null

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 2D Array of Object References
• Need to create the objects and assign the
references to the array elements.
• Example:
!family[0][1] = new GiftCard(“Macy’s”, 50.0);!
!family[1][3] = new GiftCard(“CVS”, 15.0);!

Macy’s

CVS

null
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 Example 4
• Print the total value of the gift cards for each family
member (rows): printValueOfRows(family); !
GiftCard[][]! data) {!
public static void printValueOfRows(______________
data.length
for (int row = 0; row < __________________; row++) {!

0.0!
double total = ___________; // find total for the row!

data[row].length col++) {!
for (int col = 0; col < ___________________;

null
if (data[row][col] != ___________) {!
total += data[row][col].getBalance();!
}!
}!
System.out.println(“Row “ + row + “: $“ + total);!
}!
}!
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