what is an array

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http://mathcentral.uregina.ca/QQ/database/QQ.09.05/jeff1.html

An array is a data structure in computer programming that stores a collection of elements of the same type. It provides a way to efficiently store and access multiple values in contiguous memory locations.

To understand what an array is, let's consider an analogy. Imagine you have a row of boxes, each labeled with a number. Each box can hold an item of the same type, such as books or shoes. This row of boxes represents an array.

In programming, you create an array by declaring a variable with a specific type and specifying the number of elements it can hold. For example, if you want to store a collection of 5 integers, you can declare an array like this:

int[] numbers = new int[5];

Here, "int" is the data type, "numbers" is the name of the array variable, and "[5]" represents that the array can hold 5 elements.

To access or modify the elements of an array, you use indices. Each element in the array is assigned a unique index, starting from 0. For example, to access the first element of the "numbers" array, you would use:

int firstNumber = numbers[0];

Arrays are useful when you need to work with multiple, similar pieces of data. They allow for efficient access and manipulation of the elements within the array.

I hope this explanation helps you understand what an array is and how it works in programming!