Chapter 33 - Arrays, tuples and records

Question 1

What is an elementary data type?

Answer 1

» Integer
» Real
» Boolean
» Char
» String

Question 2

What are some examples of built-in structured data types such as string, array and record?

Answer 2

» String
» Array
» Record

Question 3

What is an array?

Answer 3

» Data structure which contains a set of data of items of the same data type
» Static data structure - size cannot be changed
» Stored contiguously in memory

Question 4

What does it mean by finite?

Answer 4

» There is a specific number of elements in the array

Question 5

What does it mean by ordered?

Answer 5

» Implies that there is a first second, third elements of the array

Question 6

What position do arrays always start at?

Answer 6

» Position 0

Question 7

What is an Index?

Answer 7

» A reference that is helpful to reference each element in the array, such as array[0]

Question 8

How can a 2-D array be visualised as?

Answer 8

» Visualised as a table

Question 9

How can you refer the elements in the 2-D array?

Answer 9

» By their row number then column number
» Such as array[rownumber, columnnumber]

Question 10

What position in the array is it when the user ask to input row number 1?

Answer 10

» Prints the 0th row, as the array starts at 0

Question 11

How can you make a 2-D array in python?

Answer 11

» Array = [[100,200,300],[500,400,200]]

Question 12

What is an important rule when making 2-D arrays in python?

Answer 12

» Must always be separated by a comma

Question 13

What is the first element in a 3-D array?

Answer 13

» [0,0,0]

Question 14

What is a Tuple?

Answer 14

» An ordered set of values
» Which could be elements of any type
» Which are immutable

Question 15

How are Tuples different from arrays?

Answer 15

» Unlike arrays, the elements do not all have to be of the same type

Question 16

What does it mean if a Tuple is immutable?

Answer 16

» Its elements cannot be changed
» They are a fixed size set at the point of creation

Question 17

What does a file consist of?

Answer 17

» A number of records

Question 18

What does a record contain a number of?

Answer 18

» Number of fields holding one item of data

Question 19

What is a record?

Answer 19

» Unordered data structure consisting of different data types
» Collection of related fields

Question 20

How can we create an array?

Answer 20

» By allocating a contiguous part of memory for the purpose of storing that data

Question 21

What is the definition of contiguous?

Answer 21

» Means all the data is stored together

Question 22

How are lists different to array in terms of how items are stored?

Answer 22

» Lists are not contiguous

Question 23

What does it mean if a list is heterogeneous?

Answer 23

» Can support more than one data type

Question 24

What does it mean if an array is homegeneous?

Answer 24

» Can only support a single data type

Question 25

What is a field, in a record?

Answer 25

» A variable
» Can have different data types

Question 26

What are the 3 steps to use the record data structure?

Answer 26

» Define the record data structure
» Declare a variable or array to use with the record structure
» Assign and retrieve data from the variable record

Question 27

What is the the dot syntax in a record?

Answer 27

» recordfield = Assignment

Question 28

What is the differences between arrays list and tuples?

Answer 28

» Tuples are immutable whereas lists and arrays are mutable

Question 29

How can you distinguish a list from a tuple?

Answer 29

» A list uses [] these brackets
» A tuple uses () these brackets

Question 30

What is a static data structure?

Answer 30

» Structure size cannot change at runtime

Question 31

What is a Dynamic data structure?

Answer 31

» Structure size can change at runtime