0% found this document useful (0 votes)
10 views8 pages

C Multi Dimensional Array Module

Download as pdf or txt
Download as pdf or txt
Download as pdf or txt
You are on page 1/ 8

C++ Multidimensional Arrays

In this Module, we'll learn about multi-dimensional arrays in C++. More


specifically, how to declare them, access them, and use them efficiently in our
program.

In C++, we can create an array of an array, known as a multidimensional


array. For example:

int x[3][4];

Here, x is a two-dimensional array. It can hold a maximum of 12 elements.


We can think of this array as a table with 3 rows and each row has 4 columns
as shown below.

Elements in two-dimensional
array in C++ Programming
Three-dimensional arrays also work in a similar way. For example:

float x[2][4][3];

This array x can hold a maximum of 24 elements.


We can find out the total number of elements in the array simply by multiplying
its dimensions:
2 x 4 x 3 = 24

Multidimensional Array Initialization


Like a normal array, we can initialize a multidimensional array in more than
one way.

1. Initialization of two-dimensional array

int test[2][3] = {2, 4, 5, 9, 0, 19};

The above method is not preferred. A better way to initialize this array with the
same array elements is given below:

int test[2][3] = { {2, 4, 5}, {9, 0, 19}};

This array has 2 rows and 3 columns, which is why we have two rows of
elements with 3 elements each.

Initializing a two-dimensional
array in C++
2. Initialization of three-dimensional array

int test[2][3][4] = {3, 4, 2, 3, 0, -3, 9, 11, 23, 12, 23,


2, 13, 4, 56, 3, 5, 9, 3, 5, 5, 1, 4, 9};

This is not a good way of initializing a three-dimensional array. A better way to


initialize this array is:

int test[2][3][4] = {
{ {3, 4, 2, 3}, {0, -3, 9, 11}, {23, 12, 23, 2} },
{ {13, 4, 56, 3}, {5, 9, 3, 5}, {5, 1, 4, 9} }
};

Notice the dimensions of this three-dimensional array.

The first dimension has the value 2 . So, the two elements comprising the first
dimension are:

Element 1 = { {3, 4, 2, 3}, {0, -3, 9, 11}, {23, 12, 23, 2} }

Element 2 = { {13, 4, 56, 3}, {5, 9, 3, 5}, {5, 1, 4, 9} }

The second dimension has the value 3 . Notice that each of the elements of
the first dimension has three elements each:

{3, 4, 2, 3}, {0, -3, 9, 11} and {23, 12, 23, 2} for Element 1.

{13, 4, 56, 3}, {5, 9, 3, 5} and {5, 1, 4, 9} for Element 2.

Finally, there are four int numbers inside each of the elements of the second
dimension:

{3, 4, 2, 3}
{0, -3, 9, 11}

... .. ...

... .. ...

Example 1: Two Dimensional Array


// C++ Program to display all elements
// of an initialised two dimensional array

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

int main() {
int test[3][2] = {{2, -5},
{4, 0},
{9, 1}};

// use of nested for loop


// access rows of the array
for (int i = 0; i < 3; ++i) {

// access columns of the array


for (int j = 0; j < 2; ++j) {
cout << "test[" << i << "][" << j << "] = " << test[i][j] << endl;
}
}

return 0;
}

Output

test[0][0] = 2
test[0][1] = -5
test[1][0] = 4
test[1][1] = 0
test[2][0] = 9
test[2][1] = 1

In the above example, we have initialized a two-dimensional int array


named test that has 3 "rows" and 2 "columns".
Here, we have used the nested for loop to display the array elements.
• the outer loop from i == 0 to i == 2 access the rows of the array
• the inner loop from j == 0 to j == 1 access the columns of the array
Finally, we print the array elements in each iteration.

Example 2: Taking Input for Two Dimensional Array


#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

int main() {
int numbers[2][3];

cout << "Enter 6 numbers: " << endl;

// Storing user input in the array


for (int i = 0; i < 2; ++i) {
for (int j = 0; j < 3; ++j) {
cin >> numbers[i][j];
}
}

cout << "The numbers are: " << endl;

// Printing array elements


for (int i = 0; i < 2; ++i) {
for (int j = 0; j < 3; ++j) {
cout << "numbers[" << i << "][" << j << "]: " << numbers[i][j] <<
endl;
}
}
return 0;
}

Output

Enter 6 numbers:
1
2
3
4
5
6
The numbers are:
numbers[0][0]: 1
numbers[0][1]: 2
numbers[0][2]: 3
numbers[1][0]: 4
numbers[1][1]: 5
numbers[1][2]: 6

Here, we have used a nested for loop to take the input of the 2d array. Once
all the input has been taken, we have used another nested for loop to print
the array members.

Example 3: Three Dimensional Array


// C++ Program to Store value entered by user in
// three dimensional array and display it.

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

int main() {
// This array can store upto 12 elements (2x3x2)
int test[2][3][2] = {
{
{1, 2},
{3, 4},
{5, 6}
},
{
{7, 8},
{9, 10},
{11, 12}
}
};

// Displaying the values with proper index.


for (int i = 0; i < 2; ++i) {
for (int j = 0; j < 3; ++j) {
for (int k = 0; k < 2; ++k) {
cout << "test[" << i << "][" << j << "][" << k << "] = " <<
test[i][j][k] << endl;
}
}
}

return 0;
}

Output

test[0][0][0] = 1
test[0][0][1] = 2
test[0][1][0] = 3
test[0][1][1] = 4
test[0][2][0] = 5
test[0][2][1] = 6
test[1][0][0] = 7
test[1][0][1] = 8
test[1][1][0] = 9
test[1][1][1] = 10
test[1][2][0] = 11
test[1][2][1] = 12

The basic concept of printing elements of a 3d array is similar to that of a 2d


array.
However, since we are manipulating 3 dimensions, we use a nested for loop
with 3 total loops instead of just 2:

• the outer loop from i == 0 to i == 1 accesses the first dimension of the array
• the middle loop from j == 0 to j == 2 accesses the second dimension of the
array
• the innermost loop from k == 0 to k == 1 accesses the third dimension of the
array
As we can see, the complexity of the array increases exponentially with the
increase in dimensions.

You might also like