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What do data structures define? - Answers Data structures define how data are represented,
organized, stored, and operated in programs and computers.
Why are data structures important? - Answers Data structures are essential for data
representations and operations in programming, and critical for time and space efficiency of
algorithms and programs.
Why do we need to learn C? (Foundation) - Answers • C is a foundation of programming
languages.
- Over 50 years old, the first standardized programming language, the mostly used programming
language.
- Most programming languages are based on C, e.g., C++, Java, C#.
- Many interpreters are written in C, e.g., Python, PHP, JavaScript.
Why do we need to learn C? (Usage) - Answers C has been used in many applications.
- C is used to write operating systems: Unix, Linux, Windows, Mac OS, iOS, Android.
- C is used to write high performance application programs.
- C is the programming language for embedded systems.
Why do we need to learn C? (Features) - Answers C has powerful features
- C is a standardized compiled program language.
- C is capable to do memory address and bit level operations. - C is small, extensible, stable, and
portable.
Why do we use C in DS II? - Answers Understanding at a Fundamental Level:
- C is a low-level programming language that allows developers to work closer to the hardware.
When learning about data structures in C, programmers gain insights into how data is stored
and manipulated at the memory and CPU instruction level. This understanding is crucial for
optimizing code for efficiency.
, Control Over Memory and Data Representation:
- C provides direct control over memory allocation and manipulation. This level of control allows
for the design and implementation of data structures precisely tuned to the needs of the
program, optimizing memory usage and data representation for efficiency.
Why use C in DS II pt 2. - Answers Efficient Implementation:
- Since C allows for fine-grained control over memory and data representation, it's ideal for
implementing data structures that operate efficiently at the hardware level. This control enables
the creation of custom data structures tailored to specific applications, which can significantly
improve the performance of algorithms and programs.
Performance Optimization:
- The ability to design and implement application-specific data structures in C allows developers
to optimize algorithms and programs for performance. By leveraging C's capabilities,
programmers can create highly efficient data structures, achieving better time and space
complexities for various operations.
C Background - Origin - Answers - C is a general-purpose programming language initially created
and developed by Dennis Ritchie between 1969-1973 at AT&T Bell Labs.
- UNIX OS was created by Ken Thompson. Dennis Ritchie invented C to exported Unix to
different platforms.
C Background - Standardization - Answers - American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
approved first C standard in 1989 (known as ANSI C or C89).
- International Organization for Standardization (ISO) approved a revised C standard in 1999
(known as C99). Followed by C11, C17, C23.
C features - Answers 1. C is a high-level compiled programming language.
• Source code program is converted (compiled) to executable machine code program, then
loaded to memory to run.
• Compiler is the program to convert source code programs to executable programs.
• C compilers are available for most computer platforms.
2. Small size, C has only 32 keywords