Chapter 7: Problem 10

When you pass an array name as an argument to a function, what is actually being passed?

Short Answer

Expert verified

When an array name is passed as an argument to a function, what is actually being passed is a reference or a pointer to the first element of the array. This approach allows the function to efficiently access and manipulate the original array elements, without creating a copy of the entire array. The key concept is understanding pointers or references, which store memory addresses of other variables or data. Function parameters should be declared accordingly, and array elements can be accessed within the function using indexing notation or pointer arithmetic.

Step by step solution

Introduction

When an array name is passed as an argument to a function, it is not passing the entire array. Instead, it passes a reference or a pointer to the memory location of the first element of the array.

Understand pointers/references

Pointers and references are variables that store the memory address of another variable or data. In the context of passing an array to a function, the reference or pointer to the first element of the array is shared, allowing the function to access the memory location of the array's elements.

Function Declaration and Call

When the function is declared, its parameter should indicate that it is expecting a pointer or a reference to an array element. For example, in C++: ```cpp void myFunction(int *arr) { /*...*/ } ``` When the function is called, the array name is passed as an argument without square brackets ([]): ```cpp int main() { int myArray[] = {1, 2, 3}; myFunction(myArray); } ```

Array Access in the Function

Inside the function, elements of the array can be accessed using the pointer arithmetic or by using the indexing notation. For example, in C++: ```cpp void myFunction(int *arr) { for (int i = 0; i < 3; ++i) { cout << arr[i] << " "; // using indexing notation cout << *(arr + i) << " "; // using pointer arithmetic } } ```

Conclusion

When an array name is given as an argument to a function, what is actually being passed is a reference or a pointer to the first element of the array. This allows the function to access the original array elements through that memory address efficiently, without creating a copy of the entire array.

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.

When you pass an array name as an argument to a function, what is actually being passed?

Short Answer

Step by step solution

Introduction

Understand pointers/references

Function Declaration and Call

Array Access in the Function

Conclusion

One App. One Place for Learning.

Most popular questions from this chapter

Recommended explanations on Computer Science Textbooks

Issues in Computer Science

Databases

Computer Programming

Functional Programming

Algorithms in Computer Science

Problem Solving Techniques

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.