3: Arrays & Strings

arrays & Strings
Arrays
An array is a number (finite set) of data items of the same type arranged contiguously in memory, it is the most commonly used data storage structure. Array s elements can be ordered or not. An array must meets the following conditions:
- Must be finite:
It means that an array must has a certain size, so it s data is determined. To use an array, it s size must be determined by the user, this is a disadvantage of an array whereas if a certain size of memory area is reserved for an array, and this reserved area isn t used completely, it can not be used for another variable, and it stays empty.
- Fixed locations:
The locations of an array stay fixed and not changed during dealment with any item of an array.
- Must be sequential:
The locations of an array must be sequiential.
- Randomly accessed:
It can be randomly access to any location of an array, without depending on any location, so the required time for accessing any location is fixed.
- Data must be homogenous:
The data can not be in different types in the same array, it must be with the same data type like integer, string, …, etc.