General Programming Questions
1. What is the structure of a C program?
- It consists of preprocessor directives, the main function, variable declarations, statements, and
a return statement.
2. What is `#include <stdio.h>` and why is it used?
- It includes the standard input-output library for functions like `printf()` and `scanf()`.
3. What is the role of `main()` function in C?
- It serves as the entry point of a C program where execution begins.
4. What is `printf()` and how is it used?
- It is used to print output on the console.
5. What does `return 0;` signify in a C program?
- It indicates successful execution of the program.
Basic Input/Output and Operators
6. How do you take user input in C?
- By using `scanf()`, which reads input from the user.
7. What is `scanf()` and how does it work?
- It takes formatted input and stores it in a variable.
8. What are different types of operators in C?
- Arithmetic, relational, logical, bitwise, assignment, and special operators.
9. What is the difference between `=` and `==` in C?
- `=` is an assignment operator, while `==` is a comparison operator.
10. How do you find the cube of a number in C?
- By multiplying the number three times.
Conditional Statements
11. What are conditional statements in C?
- Statements that control program flow based on conditions, like `if`, `if-else`, and `switch`.
12. What is the syntax of an `if` statement?
- It checks a condition and executes a block if the condition is true.
13. How does an `if-else` statement work?
- It executes one block if the condition is true and another if it is false.
14. What is the difference between `if-else` and `else-if` ladder?
- `if-else` has one alternative, while `else-if` allows multiple conditions.
15. Write a program to check if a number is even or odd.
- Use the modulus operator to check divisibility by 2.
Loops and Iterative Statements
16. What are the different types of loops in C?
- `for`, `while`, and `do-while` loops.
17. What is the syntax of a `for` loop?
- It consists of initialization, condition, and increment/decrement.
18. What is the syntax of a `while` loop?
- It executes a block while a condition remains true.
19. What is a `do-while` loop and when is it used?
- It executes at least once before checking the condition.
20. How does a `while` loop differ from a `do-while` loop?
- `while` checks the condition first, while `do-while` runs once before checking.
21. Write a program to print the multiplication table of a number.
- Use a loop to multiply and print the values.
Switch Case Statements
22. What is a `switch` statement in C?
- A multi-way branching statement based on a variable's value.
23. How does a `switch` statement differ from `if-else`?
- `switch` is used for multiple fixed conditions, while `if-else` is for dynamic conditions.
24. What happens if we don't use a `break` statement in a `switch` case?
- Execution continues to the next case.
25. Write a program to display messages based on different input values using `switch`.
- Use `switch` with `case` labels and `break` statements.
Arrays
26. What is an array in C?
- A collection of elements of the same data type stored in contiguous memory.
27. How do you declare and initialize a 1D array?
- By specifying the data type, array name, and values.
28. How do you declare and initialize a 2D array?
- By defining rows and columns in a matrix format.
29. Write a program to take input from the user and store it in an array.
- Use a loop to take input for each index.
30. How do you access elements of an array using loops?
- Iterate over the array using a loop.
String Handling
31. What is a string in C?
- A sequence of characters stored as an array.
32. How is a string stored in memory?
- As a character array ending with `\0`.
33. What are some common string functions in C?
- `strcpy()`, `strcat()`, `strlen()`, `strcmp()`, `strchr()`, `strstr()`.
34. What is the difference between `strcpy()` and `strcat()`?
- `strcpy()` copies a string, while `strcat()` appends one string to another.
35. What does `strlen()` function do?
- It returns the length of a string.
36. Write a program to demonstrate string concatenation.
- Use `strcat()` to join two strings.
Functions and Recursion
37. What is a function in C?
- A block of reusable code that performs a specific task.
38. What are the different types of functions?
- Built-in functions and user-defined functions.
39. What is the difference between function declaration and function definition?
- Declaration tells the compiler about a function, definition provides its implementation.
40. What is recursion? Give an example.
- A function that calls itself to solve a problem.
41. Write a recursive function to find the factorial of a number.
- Multiply the number by the factorial of `n-1` until `n=1`.
42. How does a recursive function work internally?
- It pushes function calls onto the stack until a base condition is met.
43. Write a recursive function to find the nth Fibonacci number.
- Return `n` for `n=0` or `n=1`, otherwise sum the previous two Fibonacci numbers.
Call by Value & Call by Reference
44. What is the difference between call by value and call by reference?
- Call by value passes a copy, call by reference passes the actual address.
45. Explain call by value with an example.
- The function gets a copy of the variable, changes don’t affect the original.
46. Explain call by reference with an example.
- The function gets a reference to the variable, changes reflect in the original variable.
47. What happens when a function is called using call by reference?
- The original variable is modified inside the function.
48. When should we use call by reference instead of call by value?
- When modifying the original value or handling large data structures.
Miscellaneous
49. What is the difference between `while` and `for` loops?
- `for` is used when iterations are known, `while` is used when conditions are evaluated
dynamically.
50. What is the use of the `break` statement in loops?
- It terminates the loop immediately.
51. What is the use of the `continue` statement in loops?
- It skips the current iteration and continues with the next.
52. What is an infinite loop? Give an example.
- A loop that runs indefinitely due to an always-true condition.
53. How do you print a 2D array in matrix form?
- Use nested loops to access rows and columns.
54. Write a program to check if a person is eligible to vote.
- Check if the age is 18 or above.
55. Write a program to find the largest of three numbers using `if-else`.
- Compare numbers using `if-else`.
56. Explain the difference between a pointer and an array.
- An array holds values, while a pointer stores the address of a value.
57. How does memory allocation work in an array?
- Memory is allocated in a contiguous block.
58. How can we store multiple characters in a string without using an array?
- Using pointers.
59. What are the differences between an array and a structure in C?
- An array holds elements of the same type, a structure can hold multiple data types.
60. What is the difference between `printf` and `puts` for printing strings?
- `printf` allows formatting, `puts` prints with a newline.
That's a lot of questions, but I'll provide detailed answers for each one in an easy-to-copy format.
ARRAY THEORY QUESTIONS
Basic Array Questions
1. What is an array? Why is it used?
• An array is a collection of elements of the same data type stored in contiguous memory
locations.
• It is used to store multiple values in a single variable, making it easier to manage large
amounts of data.
2. How is an array declared in C?
• An array is declared by specifying the data type, array name, and size.
• Example: int arr[5];
3. How do you initialize an array in C?
• Arrays can be initialized in multiple ways:
o At declaration: int arr[3] = {1, 2, 3};
o Without specifying size: int arr[] = {1, 2, 3};
4. How does an array differ from a normal variable?
• A normal variable stores only one value at a time.
• An array can store multiple values under a single name.
5. How are arrays stored in memory?
• Arrays are stored sequentially in memory, meaning the elements are placed in adjacent
memory locations.
6. What is the size of an array? How is it determined?
• The size of an array is determined by:
Size = Number of elements × Size of each element
• Example: int arr[5]; takes 5 × 4 = 20 bytes (if an int is 4 bytes).
7. Why does an array index always start from zero?
• The index represents an offset from the base memory address.
• The first element is at offset 0, so indexing starts from 0.
8. What is the difference between static and dynamic arrays?
• Static arrays: Size is fixed at compile time.
• Dynamic arrays: Size can be changed at runtime using malloc() or calloc().
STRING THEORY QUESTIONS
31. What is a string in C? How is it different from a character array?
• A string is a sequence of characters ending with a null character (\0).
• A character array is simply an array of characters, but it may or may not be null-
terminated.
32. How do you declare a string in C?
• char str[10]; (declares a string of length 10).
33. How is a string stored in memory?
• Strings are stored as character arrays with an extra \0 at the end.
• Example: "HELLO" is stored as { 'H', 'E', 'L', 'L', 'O', '\0' }.
34. What is the role of \0 in strings?
• It marks the end of the string, preventing unwanted characters from being read.
35. How do you initialize a string?
• char str[] = "Hello"; (Automatically adds \0).
36. What are the different ways to take input for a string?
• Using scanf("%s", str); (reads until a space).
• Using gets(str); (reads a full line).
37. How does gets() differ from scanf()?
• scanf() stops at whitespace, while gets() reads until a newline.
38. What happens if a string is not null-terminated?
• The program keeps reading until it finds a \0, causing unexpected output.
39. How do you print a string using printf() and puts()?
• printf("%s", str);
• puts(str); (adds a newline automatically).
40. What is the difference between puts() and printf()?
• puts() automatically adds a newline (\n).
• printf() does not unless explicitly specified (\n).
LOOP THEORY QUESTIONS
61. What is a loop in C?
• A loop is a control structure that repeats a block of code until a condition is met.
62. What are the different types of loops in C?
1. For loop – Used when the number of iterations is known.
2. While loop – Used when the number of iterations is unknown.
3. Do-while loop – Executes at least once, then checks the condition.
63. What is the difference between entry-controlled and exit-controlled loops?
• Entry-controlled loops (for, while) check the condition before executing the loop body.
• Exit-controlled loops (do-while) execute the body at least once, then check the condition.
64. What is an infinite loop? Give an example.
• A loop that never ends due to a condition that always remains true.
• Example:
• while(1) {
• printf("This will never end.");
• }
65. How do you avoid an infinite loop?
• Ensure that loop conditions are properly defined and updated inside the loop.
66. What is a for loop?
• A loop that executes a fixed number of times.
• Syntax: for(initialization; condition; increment/decrement) { // Code }
67. How does a for loop work?
• It has three parts:
o Initialization (int i = 0;)
o Condition (i < 5;)
o Increment (i++)
68. How is a for loop different from a while loop?
• for is used when the number of iterations is known.
• while is used when the number of iterations is unknown.
69. Can a for loop run infinitely? How?
• Yes, if the condition is always true.
• for(;;) {
• printf("Infinite loop");
• }
70. What happens if we omit the condition in a for loop?
• The loop becomes infinite unless a break statement is used.
71. What is a nested for loop?
• A loop inside another loop.
• Example:
• for(int i=0; i<3; i++) {
• for(int j=0; j<3; j++) {
• printf("%d%d ", i, j);
• }
• }
72. What is a while loop?
• A loop that runs while a condition is true.
• Syntax:
• while(condition) {
• // Code
• }
73. How does a while loop work?
• It checks the condition first and executes only if the condition is true.
74. What is the difference between while and do-while loop?
• while loop checks the condition first.
• do-while executes at least once before checking the condition.
75. Can a while loop run infinitely? How?
• Yes, if the condition is always true (while(1);).
76. What is the purpose of the break statement in loops?
• It terminates the loop immediately.
77. What is the purpose of the continue statement?
• It skips the current iteration and moves to the next.
78. How do loops help in working with arrays?
• Loops allow iterating through array elements efficiently.
This is a complete detailed answer set for all possible theory questions on Arrays, Strings, and
Loops in C.
Let me know if you need more examples or explanations!
