An array elements are always stored in ________ memory locations.

Solution (By Examveda Team)

In C programming, an array is a data structure that stores multiple elements of the same type. The key feature of an array is that its elements are stored in sequential memory locations. Here’s a detailed explanation:

1. Memory Contiguity:
When an array is declared, the compiler allocates a block of memory large enough to hold all the elements. These elements are stored one after the other in contiguous memory addresses. For example, if you declare an array of 5 integers, the memory allocated for the array will be continuous, and each integer will be placed next to the previous one.

2. Accessing Elements:
Due to the sequential storage, the array elements can be accessed easily using their index. The index represents the position of the element in the array, and since the memory is sequential, calculating the memory address of any element becomes straightforward. The address of any element in the array can be calculated as:
Address=Base Address+(Index×Size of each element)

Here, the Base Address is the memory address of the first element in the array.

3. Efficiency:
The sequential nature of arrays makes accessing and iterating through elements efficient. Since the elements are stored contiguously, the CPU can access them quickly by simply moving through the memory locations.

4. Contrast with Other Storage Methods:
Unlike arrays, other data structures like linked lists store elements in non-contiguous memory locations. This requires pointers to link elements together, which can lead to more complex memory management and slower access times compared to arrays.

5. Implications for Multidimensional Arrays:
In multidimensional arrays (e.g., 2D arrays), the elements are still stored sequentially in memory, typically in row-major order. This means the elements of the first row are stored first, followed by the elements of the second row, and so on.

In summary, the sequential storage of array elements is a fundamental characteristic of arrays in C, contributing to their simplicity and efficiency in memory usage and access.