C++ Programming

Arrays

M1 Math
Michail Lampis
[email protected]
 Arrays
● Correspond to notion of 1-dimensional vector
● Allow to store many items of same type
● Items are accessed with an int index
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 Arrays
● Arrays should be declared only inside functions
● Their size must be given in declaration
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 Accessing array elements
● Use the [ ] operators to access individual elements
● Numbering starts at 0 and goes up to size-1
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● Allowed to initialize array at declaration
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● Note: a[i] is an lvalue (it can be referenced)
 Out of bounds
● Careful with the following:
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● No compiler or (predictable) run-time error!
 Easy example
● The following loop finds the max in an int array
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}
 Example 2
● Write a loop that calculates the average value
of an int array
 Example 2
● Write a loop that calculates the average value
of an int array
int data[size];
double avg;
for(int i=0; i<size; i++)
avg += data[i];
avg = avg/size;
 Arrays and Functions
● It is possible to pass an array as a function
parameter
● Semantics are call-by-reference, not call-by-
value
– Reason: array is not copied
– Only reference to array is passed
 find_max
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}
 Arrays and Functions
● Note the prototype
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● The first parameter has type array, of
unspecified size
– The size cannot specified (it will be ignored)
● Imperative to supply the array size as parameter
– Impossible to recover otherwise inside the function
 Why we need the size
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}

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}
 Array pitfalls
● Common operators may not compile, or not
work as expected
● Example 1
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 Array pitfalls
● Common operators may not compile, or not
work as expected
● Example 2
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 Explanation
● The identifiers a,b in the previous programs are
allowed to be considered as variables
themselves (of type array) BUT
– They cannot be written on (const type)
– Their actual value is NOT the array, but the place in
memory where the array is stored
● This will become more familiar once we talk
about pointers
 Returning arrays
● Suppose that I want to write a function that, given n, return
the array [1,2,3,...,n]
● First try
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}
 Returning Arrays
● Arrays cannot be returned for two reasons
– Returning an array is forbidden by the C++ rules
(stupid reason)
– The memory where the array is stored is destroyed
when the function terminates!
– Recall: Normally, return copies its operand (with
the = operation). The = operation does not work on
arrays...
● Solution: pointers (next class)
 An example
● The sieve of Eratosthenes
● Write a program that decides which of the
integers 1,2,...,n are primes
● For each i
– If i is prime mark all multiples of i as non-prime
 Eratosthenes
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}
 Arrays and Strings
● Traditionally in C strings are just char arrays
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● C++ has a string class
– Much nicer, more convenient, less buggy
– Avoid C-type strings if possible
 Resizing Arrays?
● Once an array has been declared its value is
fixed
● What if I need more/less space?
● Two solutions:
– Vector class (to be seen later)
– Dynamic memory management (new, delete)
● Second solution is needed also to return arrays