Problem Solving and Programming with C GITAM

Introduction to C Language
Variables:
 Variables are the identifiers, the named memory location whose value changes on program
execution.
Declaration of variables:
 The declaration tells the computer which storage locations or variables to use in the program.
 The variables which will be used in the program should be declared at the beginning of the
program.
 The variable declaration indicates the type of constant that the variable can hold and the amount
of memory allocated to the variable.
 The name of the variables should be declared as per the rules of declaring identifiers or variables.
 General Syntax: datatype variable;
(or)
datatype variable1, variable2,……..variable_n;
Example: 1. int a; 2. float x,y; 3. double sum, midun_06;
 From the examples we will come to know that
✓ “a” is a variable of type integer and allocates 2 bytes of memory.
✓ “x” and “y” are two variable of type float which will be allocated 4 bytes of memory for each
variable.
✓ “sum” and “midun_06” are two double type variables which will be allocated with 8 bytes of
memory for each.
Variable Initialization:
 Variables can be initialized at two instances -
✓ Compile Time ( using Assignment Statement )
✓ Run Time ( using Standard Input function : scanf( ))

Compile Time Initialization: Assignment statement -

 Declaration indicates only creating space for variables but doesn’t assigns any value.
 General Syntax: Var_name = expr;
Where,
Var_name is the name of the variable ,
expr is the value of the expression or the constant value.
 The “expr” on the right hand side is evaluated and stored in the variable name (Var_name) on
left hand side.
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 Problem Solving and Programming with C GITAM
 The expression on the right hand side may be a constant, variable or a larger formula built from
simple expressions by arithmetic operators.
Examples:
1. int a=10; // assigns the value 10 to the integer variable a
2. float x;
x=20; // creates a variable y of float type and assigns value 20 to it.
3. int a=10,b;b=a; // creates two variables a and b. “a” is assigned with value 10,
the value of “a” is assigned to variable “b”. Now the value of b will be 10.
Other Assignment Statements:
 price = cost*3; //assigns the product of cost and 3 to price.
 Square = num*num; // assigns the product of num with num to square.
Run Time Initialization :scanf( ) statement -
 To enter the input through the standard input devices like keyboard we make use of scanf
statement.
 In this initialization of the variables is done at run time.
 General Syntax:scanf(“format string”,list of address of variables);
Where: Format string consists of the access specifiers.
List of addresses of variables consist of the variable name preceded with & symbol.
Example: int a;
float b;
scanf(“%d%f”,&a,&b);

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 Problem Solving and Programming with C GITAM
Constants
Constants are the named memory location; it refers to fixed values that do not change during the
execution of a program.
We have different types of constants
1. Integer constant
2. Real constant/Floating Pointing
3. Character constant Ex: ‘a’, ‘9’, ‘\n’
4. String constant Ex: “INDIA”, “8”
Integer constant:
 It refers to sequence of digits
 Embedded spaces, commas, characters should not be included.
 Must not contain a decimal point.
 May be signed or unsigned. (default is +)

Three types of integers

❖ Decimal integers: Consist of digits 0 to 9
Ex: 123 -345 0 5436 +79
❖ Octal integers: Digits from 0 to 7 but it has to start with 0
Ex: 027 0657 0777645
❖ Hexadecimal integers:Digits from 0 to 9 and characters from a to f, it has to start with 0X or
0x
Ex: 0X2 0x56 0X5fd 0xbdae
Real constants/Floating point:
The numbers that are represented by fractional parts are called real constants.
Two forms
1. Fractional form:
❖ Digits from 0 to 9, sign (+ or -), dot(.)
❖ Ex: 0.0083 215. -71. +0.56 etc..
2. Exponential form:

❖ Syntax: mantissa e exponent

❖ Mantissa is either real number expressed in decimal notation or integer.
❖ Exponent is integer with optional + or –
❖ Ex: 0.65e4 3.18e-2 73e+3 12e+5

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 Problem Solving and Programming with C GITAM
Character Constant:

 Character Constant Can hold Single character at a time.

 Contains Single Character Closed within a pair of Single Quote Marks
 Single Character is smallest Character Data Type in C.
 Integer Representation : Character Constant have Integer Value known as ‘ASCII’ value
 It is Possible to Perform Arithmetic Operations on Character Constants
Examples: ‘a’ ,‘1’ , ‘#’ , ‘<‘ , ‘X’

String Constant
 A character string, a string constant consists of a sequence of characters enclosed in double
quotes.
 A string constant may consist of any combination of digits, letters, escaped sequences and
spaces.
 Note that a character constant ‫ۥ‬A’ and the corresponding single character string constant "A" are
not equivalent.
 The string constant "A" consists of character A and \0. However, a single character string
constant does not have an equivalent integer value. It occupies two bytes, one for the ASCII
code of A and another for the NULL character with a value 0, which is used to terminate all
strings.
 Valid String Constants: -
"W"
"100"
"24, Kaja Street"
 Invalid String Constants: -
"W the closing double quotes missing
Raja" the beginning double quotes missing
 Rules for Constructing String constants
❖ A string constant may consist of any combination of digits, letters, escaped sequences
and spaces enclosed in double quotes.
❖ Every string constant ends up with a NULL character which is automatically assigned
(before the closing double quotation mark) by the compiler.

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 Problem Solving and Programming with C GITAM
 Difference between single character constant and string constant

Character Constant String Constant

A character constant is enclosed A sequence of characters enclosed in
within single inverted commas. double quotes.
The maximum length of a character A string constant can be any length.
constant can be one character.
A single character string constant has A single character string constant
an equivalent integer value. does not have an equivalent integer
value.
The character constant ‘A’ consists of The string constant "A" consists of
only character A. character A and \0.
A single character constant occupies A single string constant occupies two
one byte. bytes.
Every character constant does not end Every string constant ends up with a
up with a NULL character NULL character which is
automatically assigned (before the
closing double quotation mark) by
the compiler.

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