Data Structures and Data Types Lecture Notes

These flashcards cover key concepts, definitions, and examples related to data structures and data types discussed in the lecture notes.

What is a data type in programming?

A defined kind of data, consisting of a set of possible values and operations on those values.

What are the two components of a data type?

A domain (set of values) and a set of operations that may be applied to the values.

What are simple data types?

Data items that can be used singly, such as character, numeric integers, numeric real, and Boolean.

What is an Abstract Data Type (ADT)?

A collection of data objects characterized by how the objects are accessed, meaningful outside of computer science.

How does an array in computer programming work?

An array is a data structure consisting of a group of elements accessed by indexing.

What is the difference between linear and non-linear data structures?

Linear data structures have elements stored and accessed sequentially, while non-linear data structures do not.

What is the purpose of using a data structure in programming?

To efficiently manage and organize data, allowing operations to be performed using minimal resources.

What are multi-dimensional arrays?

Arrays that use an ordered list of integers for indexing, allowing representation of higher dimensions like matrices.

What is the declaration syntax for an array in Java?

int[] anArray = new int[10];

What is the length attribute in an array?

It provides the size of the array, indicating the number of elements it can hold.

What is the main advantage of using arrays in computer applications?

They store data items in memory for subsequent processing and are used to implement other data structures.

What are static and dynamic arrays?

Static arrays have a fixed size that cannot change after allocation, while dynamic arrays can be resized.