Chapter 9: Problem 4

What math operations are allowed on pointers?

Short Answer

Expert verified

Answer: The two basic math operations that can be performed on pointers are addition and subtraction. Pointer addition involves adding an integer value to a pointer, resulting in a new pointer pointing to a memory address that is the original address plus the integer value times the size of the data type the pointer is pointing to. Pointer subtraction works similarly, but involves subtracting the integer value from the original memory address. The pointer difference, calculated by subtracting one pointer from another, gives the number of elements between the two memory addresses and is useful for determining array sizes or element positions.

Step by step solution

Basic Pointer Operations

There are two basic math operations that can be performed on pointers: addition and subtraction. These operations are used to manipulate the memory address that a pointer is pointing to.

Pointer Addition

Pointer addition involves adding an integer value to a pointer. The result of this addition will be a new pointer pointing to a memory address which is the original pointer's address plus the integer value multiplied by the size of the data type the pointer is pointing to. For example, if you have a pointer to an integer array and you want to access the next element, you can use pointer addition to move the pointer to the next address in the array.

Pointer Subtraction

Pointer subtraction is similar to pointer addition, but instead of adding an integer value, you subtract it. This operation allows you to move a pointer to a previous memory address in the data structure. Just like in pointer addition, the integer value is multiplied by the size of the data type the pointer is pointing to before being subtracted from the original memory address.

Pointer Difference

In some cases, you may need to calculate the difference between two pointers. To do this, you can subtract one pointer from another, giving you the number of elements between the two memory addresses. This operation is useful when calculating the size of an array or determining the position of one element relative to another. Note: It's crucial to understand that not all programming languages support pointer arithmetic, and the examples mentioned above are most common in languages like C and C++. Other languages may have different rules and restrictions concerning pointer operations.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

Full Textbook Solutions
Get detailed explanations and key concepts
Unlimited Al creation
Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...
Ads-free access
To over 500 millions flashcards
Money-back guarantee
We refund you if you fail your exam.

Start your free trial

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

Recommended explanations on Computer Science Textbooks

View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

What math operations are allowed on pointers?

Short Answer

Step by step solution

Basic Pointer Operations

Pointer Addition

Pointer Subtraction

Pointer Difference

One App. One Place for Learning.

Most popular questions from this chapter

Recommended explanations on Computer Science Textbooks

Computer Programming

Data Structures

Data Representation in Computer Science

Theory of Computation

Computer Organisation and Architecture

Issues in Computer Science

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.