C# Single-Dimensional Array

Introduction

A single-dimensional array, also known as a linear array, is the simplest form of an array. It is a list of elements of the same type, stored in contiguous memory locations. Single-dimensional arrays are useful for storing and managing collections of data where the number of elements is known and fixed.

Syntax

dataType[] arrayName = new dataType[size];

Example

int[] numbers = new int[5];

Declaring and Initializing Arrays

Arrays can be declared and initialized in several ways.

Declaring and Then Initializing

int[] numbers;
numbers = new int[5];

Declaring and Initializing Simultaneously

int[] numbers = new int[5];

Initializing with Values

int[] numbers = new int[5] { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 };

Implicit Array Initialization

int[] numbers = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 };

Accessing Array Elements

Array elements are accessed using their index, starting from 0 for the first element.

Example

using System;

namespace SingleDimensionalArrayExample
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            // Declare and initialize an array
            int[] numbers = new int[5] { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 };

            // Access and display array elements
            for (int i = 0; i < numbers.Length; i++)
            {
                Console.WriteLine($"Element at index {i}: {numbers[i]}");
            }

            // Modify an array element
            numbers[2] = 10;
            Console.WriteLine($"Modified element at index 2: {numbers[2]}");
        }
    }
}

Output

Element at index 0: 1
Element at index 1: 2
Element at index 2: 3
Element at index 3: 4
Element at index 4: 5
Modified element at index 2: 10

Array Properties and Methods

C# arrays come with several built-in properties and methods that make working with arrays easier.

Length Property

The Length property gets the total number of elements in the array.

Example

int[] numbers = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 };
Console.WriteLine("Array length: " + numbers.Length);

Output

Array length: 5

Common Array Methods

• Array.Sort(): Sorts the elements of the array.
• Array.Reverse(): Reverses the order of the elements in the array.
• Array.IndexOf(): Finds the index of a specific element in the array.
• Array.Copy(): Copies elements from one array to another.

Example

using System;

namespace ArrayMethodsExample
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            int[] numbers = { 5, 2, 9, 1, 5, 6 };

            // Sort the array
            Array.Sort(numbers);
            Console.WriteLine("Sorted array: " + string.Join(", ", numbers));

            // Reverse the array
            Array.Reverse(numbers);
            Console.WriteLine("Reversed array: " + string.Join(", ", numbers));

            // Find the index of an element
            int index = Array.IndexOf(numbers, 5);
            Console.WriteLine("Index of 5: " + index);

            // Copy the array
            int[] copiedArray = new int[numbers.Length];
            Array.Copy(numbers, copiedArray, numbers.Length);
            Console.WriteLine("Copied array: " + string.Join(", ", copiedArray));
        }
    }
}

Output

Sorted array: 1, 2, 5, 5, 6, 9
Reversed array: 9, 6, 5, 5, 2, 1
Index of 5: 2
Copied array: 9, 6, 5, 5, 2, 1

Practical Example

Let’s create a practical example where we use a single-dimensional array to store and process student grades.

using System;

namespace StudentGradesExample
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            // Declare and initialize an array of student grades
            int[] grades = { 85, 90, 78, 92, 88 };

            // Calculate the average grade
            int sum = 0;
            for (int i = 0; i < grades.Length; i++)
            {
                sum += grades[i];
            }
            double average = (double)sum / grades.Length;

            // Display the grades and the average
            Console.WriteLine("Student Grades: " + string.Join(", ", grades));
            Console.WriteLine("Average Grade: " + average);
        }
    }
}

Output

Student Grades: 85, 90, 78, 92, 88
Average Grade: 86.6

Conclusion

Single-dimensional arrays in C# are a fundamental way to manage collections of data. They are easy to declare, initialize, and manipulate using various array properties and methods. Understanding how to use arrays effectively is essential for working with data in C# applications. By mastering arrays, you can handle multiple values efficiently and perform a wide range of operations on them.