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C Standard Library <assert.h> C Language Multi-dimensional Arrays

C Arrays as Function Parameters

In this tutorial, you will learn how to pass arrays (one-dimensional and multidimensional arrays) to functions in C language programming through examples.

In C language programming, you can pass the entire array to a function. Before understanding this, let's see how to pass individual elements of an array to a function.

Passing a single array element

Passing an array element to a function is similar toPassing a variable to a function.

Example1：Passing an array

Example

#include <stdio.h>
void display(int age1, int age2)
{
　　　　printf("%d\n", age1});
　　　　printf("%d\n", age2});
}
int main()
{
　　　　int ageArray[] = {2,　8,　4,　12};
　　　　//Passing the second and third elements to display()
　　　　display(ageArray[1], ageArray[2]);　
　　　　return 0;
}

Output Result

8
4

Example2：Passing an array to a function

Example

//The program calculates the sum of array elements by passing them to a function
#include <stdio.h>
float calculateSum(float age[]);
int main() {
　　　　float result, age[] = {23.4,　55,　22.6,　3,　40.5,　18};
　　　　//Passing the age array to calculateSum()
　　　　result = calculateSum(age);　
　　　　printf("Result = %.2f", result);
　　　　return 0;
}
float calculateSum(float age[]) {
　　float sum = 0.0;
　　for (int i = 0; i <　6;　++i) {}}
		sum　+= age[i];
　　}
　　return sum;
}

Output Result

Result =　162.50

To pass the entire array to a function, pass only the array name as a parameter.

result = calculateSum(age);

But, please note the use of [] in the function definition.

float calculateSum(float age[]) {
... ..
}

This informs the compiler that you are passing a one-dimensional array to the function.

Passing a multidimensional array to a function

To pass a multidimensional array to a function, only pass the name of the array to the function (similar to a one-dimensional array).

Example3：Passing a two-dimensional array

Example

#include <stdio.h>
void displayNumbers(int num[2][2]);
int main()
{
　　　　int num[2][2]);
　　　　printf("Input ",4a number:\n");
　　　　for (int i = 0; i <　2;　++i)
　　　　　　　　for (int j = 0; j <　2;　++j)
　　　　　　　　　　　　scanf("%d", &num[i][j]);
　　　　//Passing a multidimensional array to a function
　　　　displayNumbers(num);
　　　　return 0;
}
void displayNumbers(int num[2][2])
{
　　　　printf("Displaying:\n");
　　　　for (int i = 0; i <　2;　++i) {}}
　　　　　　　　for (int j = 0; j <　2;　++j) {
　　　　　　　　　　　printf("%d\n", num[i][j]);
　　　　　　　　}
　　　　}
}

Output Result

Input4number of digits:
2
3
4
5
Displaying:
2
3
4
5

Note:In C language programming, arrays can be passed to functions, but arrays cannot be returned from functions.

C Standard Library <assert.h> C Language Multi-dimensional Arrays