After reading this C multidimensional array topic, you will understand its theory and examples also you will able to implement two-dimensional array in C programming.
Often there is a need to store and manipulate two-dimensional data structure such as tables and matrices. The C Multidimensional Array facility helps to manipulate tables, matrices, etc. in programming.
An array with a finite number of same type elements where each element referred by more than one index and this array called as multidimensional array. The simplest form of multidimensional array is two-dimensional array.
Declaration of a two-dimensional array
Let us consider two dimensional array to be declared for example:
int ra[5][4];
Indicate that
- ra is the name of the two-dimensional array.
- int represent data type is integer.
- The size of two dimensional array is 20 (4×5=20).
Example:
Program (1): To accept elements of two dimensional arrays from the user and read/print them in matrix form.
#include<stdio.h>
#include<conio.h>
void main(void)
{
int a[3][3];
int i,j;
//accepting values into an array a
printf("Accept elements in array a\n");
for(i=0;i<3;i++)
{
for(j=0;j<3;j++)
{
printf("Enter element :- ");
scanf("%d",&a[i][j]);
}
}
//Print array elements in matrix form
printf("\nThe matrix is\n");
for(i=0;i<3;i++)
{
for(j=0;j<3;j++)
{
printf("%6d",a[i][j]);
}
printf("\n");
}
getch();
}
Output (1)
Accept elements in array a Enter element :- 23 Enter element :- 4 Enter element :- 12 Enter element :- 67 Enter element :- 4 Enter element :- 34 Enter element :- 78 Enter element :- 33 Enter element :- 2 The matrix is 23 4 12 67 4 34 78 33 2
Initialization of two-dimensional array
Like one dimensional array, two-dimensional array can be initialized during declaration. For example,
int ra[2][3]={2,10,23,79,100,12};
Indicate that
- ra is a name of two dimensional array.
- int represent data type is integer.
- The size of array is 6 (2×3=6).
- The elements of two dimensional array are 2,10,23,79,100 and 12.
Example:
Program (1): To print 2×2 matrix and also find the sum of all elements of 2×2 matrix. The elements of 2×2 matrix are given as 12, 34, 2 and 10.
#include<stdio.h>
#include<conio.h>
void main(void)
{
int i,j;
int a[2][2]={12,34,2,10};
int sum=0;
//to print original matrix
printf("\nThe original matrix is\n");
for(i=0;i<2;i++)
{
for(j=0;j<2;j++)
{
printf("%6d",a[i][j]);
}
printf("\n");
}
//Calculate sum of all elements and print result
for(i=0;i<2;i++)
{
for(j=0;j<2;j++)
{
sum=sum+a[i][j];
}
}
printf("The sum is %d",sum);
getch();
}
Output (1)
The original matrix is 12 34 2 10 The sum is 58
Two dimensional array memory/storage representation
Consider the array initialized as:
int ra[2][3]={2,10,23,79,100,12};
When two dimensional array int ra[2][3] declared, the compiler allocates 1st element having data 2 associated with index number [0][0]. For the last element having data 12 associated with index number [1][2] as shown above.
Example:
Program (1): To find the addition of two matrices.
#include<stdio.h>
#include<conio.h>
void main(void)
{
int a[2][2],b[2][2],c[2][2];
int i,j;
//accepting values into an array a
printf("Accept elements in Matrix A\n");
for(i=0;i<2;i++)
{
for(j=0;j<2;j++)
{
printf("Enter %d element :- ",i+1);
scanf("%d",&a[i][j]);
}
}
//accepting values into an array b
printf("Accept elements in Matrix B\n");
for(i=0;i<2;i++)
{
for(j=0;j<2;j++)
{
printf("Enter %d element :- ",i+1);
scanf("%d",&b[i][j]);
}
}
//to find addition of two matrices and print result
printf("\nThe resultant matrix is\n");
for(i=0;i<2;i++)
{
for(j=0;j<2;j++)
{
c[i][j]=a[i][j]+b[i][j];
printf("%6d",c[i][j]);
}
printf("\n");
}
getch();
}
Output (1)
Accept elements in Matrix A Enter 1 element :- 2 Enter 1 element :- 34 Enter 2 element :- 22 Enter 2 element :- 67 Accept elements in Matrix B Enter 1 element :- 54 Enter 1 element :- 77 Enter 2 element :- 345 Enter 2 element :- 3 The resultant matrix is 56 111 367 70
Program (1): To find largest element in matrix.
#include<stdio.h>
#include<conio.h>
void main(void)
{
int a[2][2],lar;
int i,j;
//accepting values into an array a
printf("Accept elements in Matrix A\n");
for(i=0;i<2;i++)
{
for(j=0;j<2;j++)
{
scanf("%d",&a[i][j]);
}
}
//to print matrix
printf("\nThe matrix is\n");
for(i=0;i<2;i++)
{
for(j=0;j<2;j++)
{
printf("%6d",a[i][j]);
}
printf("\n");
}
//to find largest element
lar=a[0][0];
for(i=0;i<2;i++)
{
for(j=0;j<2;j++)
{
if(a[i][j]>lar)
{
lar=a[i][j];
}
}
}
printf("largest element %d\n",lar);
getch();
}
Output (1)
Accept elements in Matrix A 3 54 23 556 The matrix is 3 54 23 556 largest element 556
Program (1): To find transpose of a matrix.
#include<stdio.h>
#include<conio.h>
void main(void)
{
int a[2][2],b[2][2];
int i,j;
//accepting values into an array a
printf("Accept elements in Matrix A\n");
for(i=0;i<2;i++)
{
for(j=0;j<2;j++)
{
scanf("%d",&a[i][j]);
}
}
//to print original matrix
printf("\nThe original matrix is\n");
for(i=0;i<2;i++)
{
for(j=0;j<2;j++)
{
printf("%6d",a[i][j]);
}
printf("\n");
}
//to find transpose of matrix
for(i=0;i<2;i++)
{
for(j=0;j<2;j++)
{
b[i][j]=a[j][i];
}
}
//to print transpose matrix
printf("\nThe transpose matrix is\n");
for(i=0;i<2;i++)
{
for(j=0;j<2;j++)
{
printf("%6d",b[i][j]);
}
printf("\n");
}
getch();
}
Output (1)
Accept elements in Matrix A 2 3 5 67 The original matrix is 2 3 5 67 The transpose matrix is 2 5 3 67
