How to Reverse an Array in C
In this article, we will discuss three different methods (using loops, pointers, and recursion) to reverse an array in C.
In C programming, Arrays are a useful data structure. It allows the storage of multiple values in a single variable instead of creating individual variables for each value. They are easy to use and hence, are used extensively in programs that need to store and manipulate large amounts of data efficiently. In this article, we will learn how to reverse an array in C using different methods. So, without further ado, let’s get started!
Table of Content
What are Arrays in C?
An array is a collection of elements of the same data type stored in contiguous memory locations. It can be thought of as a list of variables of the same type, with each variable identified by an index or a subscript.
The elements can be accessed using their index value (0 to len(array) -1).
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Example: If len(array) = 5, we can access its elements using the index values 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4.
The syntax for declaring an array in C is as follows:
data_type array_name[array_size];
Here,
- data_type is the type of data that the array will hold,
- array_name is the name of the array, and
- array_size is the number of elements that the array can hold.
For example, to declare an array of 5 integers, we can use the following code:
int my_array[5];
We can also initialize the values of the array elements at the time of declaration, like this:
int my_array[5] = {10, 20, 30, 40, 50};
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Methods to Reverse an Array
There are various methods for reversing an array in C. In this article, we are going to look at the most commonly used ones:
Using C Loops to Reverse an Array
The following code demonstrates how a for() loop can be used in C to reverse an array:
#include <stdio.h>
int main() { int arr[5] = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5}; // initialize the array int temp, i, j;
printf("Original array: "); for (i = 0; i < 5; i++) { printf("%d ", arr[i]); }
for (i = 0, j = 4; i < j; i++, j--) { // loop to swap elements temp = arr[i]; arr[i] = arr[j]; arr[j] = temp; }
printf("\nReversed array: "); for (i = 0; i < 5; i++) { printf("%d ", arr[i]); }
return 0;}
Output:
Explanation
- Initialize an array with some values and print original using for loop.
- Use another for loop to swap
- first and last element, second and second last, and so on until the middle of the array is reached
- two loop variables (i and j) are used to keep track of elements to be swapped, temporary variable (temp) to hold the value of one of the elements during the swap.
- Finally, print the reversed array using another for loop.
Using C Pointers to Reverse an Array
The following code demonstrates how pointers can be used in C to reverse an array:
#include <stdio.h>
int main() { int arr[5] = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5}; // initialize the array int *ptr1, *ptr2, temp; printf("Original array: "); for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) { printf("%d ", arr[i]); } ptr1 = arr; // point to first element of array ptr2 = arr + 4; // point to last element of array while (ptr1 < ptr2) { // loop to swap elements temp = *ptr1; *ptr1 = *ptr2; *ptr2 = temp; ptr1++; ptr2--; } printf("\nReversed array: "); for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) { printf("%d ", arr[i]); } return 0;}
Output:
Explanation
- first initialize an array arr and print the original array using a loop.
- Declare two integer pointers ptr1 and ptr2, which points first and last elements of the array, respectively.
- while loop is used to swap the values of the elements pointed to by the two pointers
- increment the first pointer and decrement the second pointer until they meet at the middle of the array.
- At every iteration of the loop, a temporary variable (temp) is used to hold the value of one of the elements during the swap.
- Finally, print the reversed array using another for loop.
Using C Recursion to Reverse an Array
The following code demonstrates how pointers can be used in C to reverse an array:
#include <stdio.h>
void reverseArray(int arr[], int start, int end);
int main() { int arr[5] = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5}; // initialize the array printf("Original array: "); for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) { printf("%d ", arr[i]); } reverseArray(arr, 0, 4); // call recursive function to reverse the array printf("\nReversed array: "); for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) { printf("%d ", arr[i]); } return 0;}
void reverseArray(int arr[], int start, int end) { if (start >= end) { // base case return; } int temp = arr[start]; // swap elements arr[start] = arr[end]; arr[end] = temp; reverseArray(arr, start + 1, end - 1); // call function recursively with updated indices}
Output:
Explanation
- first initialize an array arr and print the original array using a loop.
- Declare a recursive function reverseArray() that takes an array, a starting index start, and an ending index end as input.
- function checks whether start is greater than or equal to end, which is the base case of the recursion.
- If the base case is not reached, the function swaps the values of the first and last elements of the array and then calls itself recursively with the starting index incremented and the ending index decremented until they meet at the middle of the array.
- Finally, reverseArray() function array is called with the appropriate arguments to reverse the array and then print the reversed array using another loop.
Conclusion
In this article, we have discussed how to reverse an array in c with three different methods. Hope this article will helps you to get a better understanding of array in C.
Happy Learning!!
FAQs
What is an array in C?
An array in C is a collection of elements of the same data type that are stored in contiguous memory locations. Each element can be accessed by its index.
How do I reverse an array in C?
To reverse an array in C, you need to swap the first element with the last element, the second element with the second-to-last element, and so on, until you reach the middle of the array.
Is it possible to reverse an array in place in C?
Yes, the above code reverses the array in place, meaning that it modifies the original array without creating a new one. This is done by swapping the elements of the array using a temporary variable.
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