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Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Your notes

Computer Science
Arrays
Contents
Arrays

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Arrays
Your notes
1-Dimensional Arrays
What is an array?
An array is an ordered, static set of elements in a fixed-size memory location
An array can only store 1 data type
A 1D array is a linear array
Indexes start at generally start at 0, known as zero-indexed

Concept Pseudocode Python

Create DECLARE scores: ARRAY[0:4]OF INTEGER scores = []

Creates a blank array with 5 elements (0-4) Creates a blank array

scores ← [12, 10, 5, 2, 8] scores = [12, 10, 5, 2, 8]

Creates an array called scores with values assigned

Assignment colours[4] ← "Red" colours[4] = "Red"

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Assigns the colour "Red" to index 4 (5th element)

Your notes
Example in Python
Creating a one-dimensional array called ‘array’ which contains 5 integers.
Create the array with the following syntax:
array = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Access the individual elements of the array by using the following syntax:
array[index]

Modify the individual elements by assigning new values to specific indexes using the following syntax:
array[index] = newValue

Use the len function to determine the length of the array by using the following syntax:
len(array)

In the example the array has been iterated through to output each element within the array. A for loop
has been used for this

Python

# Creating a one-dimensional array

array = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

# Accessing elements of the array

print(array[0]) # Output: 1
print(array[2]) # Output: 3

# Modifying elements of the array

array[1] = 10
print(array) # Output: [1, 10, 3, 4, 5]

# Iterating over the array

for element in array:
print(element)

# Output:
#1
# 10
#3
#4
#5

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# Length of the array

length = len(array)
print(length) # Output: 5 Your notes

2-Dimensional Arrays
What is a 2-dimensional array?
A 2D array extends the concept on a 1D array by adding another dimension
A 2D array can be visualised as a table with rows and columns
When navigating through a 2D array you first have to go down the rows and then across the columns to
find a position within the array

Concept Pseudocode Python

Create DECLARE NamesAndNumbers : ARRAY[1:3, 1:3] OF NamesAndNumbers = [],[]

STRING

Creates a blank 2D array with 3 elements Creates a blank 2D array

(0-2)

NamesAndNumbers[1, 2] ← "John" NamesAndNumbers = ["Rob","Paul","Hayley"],

[10, 5, 8]
NamesAndNumbers[1, 3] ← "Emily"

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NamesAndNumbers[2, 1] ← "25"

NamesAndNumbers[2, 2] ← "33" Your notes

NamesAndNumbers[2, 3] ← "19"

NamesAndNumbers[3, 1] ← "Sarah"

NamesAndNumbers[3, 2] ← "12"

NamesAndNumbers[3, 3] ← "8"

Creates a 2D array called players with values assigned

Assignment NamesAndNumbers[0,1] ← "Holly" NamesAndNumbers[0][1] = "Holly"

Assigns the name "Holly" to index 0, 1 (1st row, 2nd column) - replaces "Paul"

Example in Python
Python

# Initialising a 2D array with 3 rows and 3 columns, with the specified values
array_2d = [[1, 2, 3],
[4, 5, 6],
[7, 8, 9]]

# Accessing elements in the 2D array

print(array_2d[0][0]) # Output: 1
print(array_2d[1][2]) # Output: 6

Iterating through a 2-dimensions array

When iterating through an array, a nested for loop can be used

Python

# Nested iteration to access items in the 2D array

for row in array_2d:

for item in row:

print(item, end=" ")

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print() # Print a newline after each row

Your notes

Examiner Tips and Tricks

In the exam, the question will always give an example to demonstrate which order the array is being
read from.
Some questions can be X,Y and others can be Y, X. Always refer to the example before giving your
answer!

Worked Example
A parent records the length of time being spent watching TV by 4 children
Data for one week (Monday to Friday) is stored in a 2D array with the identifier minsWatched.
The following table shows the array

Quinn Lyla Harry Elias

0 1 2 3

Monday 0 34 67 89 78

Tuesday 1 56 43 45 56

Wednesday 2 122 23 34 45

Thursday 3 13 109 23 90

Friday 4 47 100 167 23

Write a line of code to output the number of minutes that Lyla watched TV on Tuesday [1]
Write a line of code to output the number of minutes that Harry watched TV on Friday [1]
Write a line of code to output the number of minutes that Quinn watched TV on Wednesday [1]

Answers

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print(minsWatched[1,1] or print(minsWatched[1][1]
print(minsWatched[2,4] or print(minsWatched[2][4]
print(minsWatched[0,2] or print(minsWatched[0][2] Your notes

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