Multidimensional Arrays

MULTIDIMENSIONAL ARRAYS

A multidimensional array in simple terms is an array of arrays. Like we have one index in a one-dimensional array, two indices in a two-dimensional array, in the same way we have n indices in an n-dimensional array or multidimensional array. Conversely, an n-dimensional array is specified using n indices. An n-dimensional m₁ × m₂ × m₃ ×….. m_n array is a collection m₁ * m₂ * m₃ *…… *m_n ements. In a multidimensional array, a particular element is specified by using n subscripts as A[I₁] [I₂] [I₃]..... [I_n], where,

I₁ <= M₁   I₂ <= M₂   I₃ <= M₃ ……..  I_n <= M_n

A multidimensional array can contain as many indices as needed and the requirement of the memory increases with the number of indices used. However, practically speaking we will hardly use more than three indices in any program. Figure 5.32 shows a three-dimensional array. The array has three pages, four rows, and two columns.

A multidimensional array is declared and initialized similar to one- and two-dimensional arrays.

Example 5.8

Consider a three-dimensional array defined as int A[2][2][3]. Calculate the number of elements in the array. Also show the memory representation of the array in row major order and column major order.

Note

A three-dimensional array consists of pages. Each page in turn contains m rows and n columns.

The three dimensional array will contain 2 × 2 × 3 = 12 elements.

33. Write a program to read and display a 2 × 2 × 2 array.

#include <stdio.h>

#include <conio.h>

int main()

{

int array [2] [2] [2], i, j, k;

clrscr();

printf("\n Enter the elements of the matrix");

for (i = 0; i < 2;i++)

{

for(j=0;j< 2;j++)

{

for (k=0; k < 2;k++)

scanf("%d", &array [i] [j] [k]);

}

}

}

printf("\n The matrix is: ");

for (i=0; i < 2; i++)

{

printf("\n\n");

for(j=0;j< 2;j++) subs

{

printf("\n");

for (k=0; k < 2; k++)

printf("\tarray [%d] [%d] [%d] = %d", i, j, k], array[i][j] [k]);

}

}

getch();

return 0;

}

Output

Enter the elements of the matrix

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

The matrix is:

arr [0] [0] [0] = 1   arr [0] [0] [1] = 2

arr [0] [1] [0] = 3   arr [0] [1] [1] = 4

arr [1] [0] [0] = 5   arr [1] [0] [1] = 6

arr [1] [1] [0] = 7   arr [1] [1] [1] = 8