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Data Structures:

A variable is a named location in memory which stores a data value.

A data structure is a collection of memory locations, which are joined together.

Operations on Data Structure:

• Appending – Add a new data value to the end of the data structure
• Inserting – Add a new data value somewhere else in the data structure
• Editing – changing the value of one data item
• Deleting – Removing a data value
• Traversing – visiting every data item in turn. This is done when searching for an item or printing out every item in the data structure.
• Sorting – rearrange the data items into alphabetical or numerical order.

The Array:

An array is a fixed series of memory locations. Each location can store a value or be empty.

The computer can access any of the locations in a single operation. The size of the array does not change.

Array Operations:

• Set up an empty array of n
• Add a value to any of the empty slots.
• If you know the index number of an element, you can access it in a single operation.
• If you don’t know the index number of the value you are looking for, you will have to search the array. You can traverse the entire array with a ‘for loop.

Array VS List:

Features:	Array:	List:
Size	Fixed when the array is made	Size changes as you add or delete elements
Elements:	Each element always keeps the same index number	Index numbers can change as the list grows or shrinks
Empty Spaces:	Can have empty spaces	No empty spaces in the list

 

Advantages of an Array:

• Compared to a stack or queue you can access any value, stored anywhere in the array.
• Once a value has been put into the array, it stays in that numbered memory location.
• The computer can access any value in the array in one operation if it knows the index number
• The computer can search and sort the array. This can take more operations.

 

 

Disadvantages of an Array:

• Every time you delete an element, you leave an empty space. This can lead to a lot gaps, which is a waste of space.
• When you add an element, the computer will look through for an empty slot, which is a waste of time.
• If you need to insert an element at a particular point in the array, you will have to move all the other elements along to make space. This is very slow.

Visualising an Array:

Make an Array:

0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8

 

Append:

0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
“A”	“B”

 

Insert:

0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
“A”	“B”			“E”

 

Delete:

0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
“A”				“E”

 

Inserting a value into an Array:

0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
“A”	“B”	“C”	“D”	“E”	“F”	“G”

 

Let’s say you wanted to insert the value “X” at position array[0]

You wouldn’t be able to because array[0] is currently storing the value “A”

So you have to move every value up by one in order to make a free memory location for “X”

0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
	“A”	“B”	“C”	“D”	“E”	“F”	“G”

 

Now you can insert the new value:

0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
“X”	“A”	“B”	“C”	“D”	“E”	“F”	“G”