Question

C++ has no array _________ checking, which means you can inadvertently store data past the end of an array.

Short answer

Short Answer: The missing word is "boundary," referring to the lack of automatic array boundary checking in C++. This means that C++ does not verify if the index used in an array operation falls within the valid range of indices (0 to the array length minus 1). Without boundary checking, storing or accessing data outside the valid range of an array can lead to unpredictable behavior and potential issues, such as overwriting other data, segmentation faults, or crashes.

Step-by-step solution

Identify the missing word

The missing word is "boundary" (C++ has no array boundary checking).

Explain array boundary checking

Array boundary checking means verifying the index used in an array operation is within the valid range of indices (0 to the array length minus 1). Some programming languages automatically perform array boundary checking which ensures that you cannot access or store data outside the array's valid range, therefore preventing any issues. However, C++ does not perform this check by default.

Describe the consequences of missing array boundary checking

When a programming language lacks array boundary checking, like C++, accessing or storing data beyond the array's valid size (either before the 0th index or past the end) can lead to unpredictable behavior and potential issues. This might include, but is not limited to, overwriting other data, segmentation faults, or crashes.

Provide an example to illustrate the concept

Here is an example: ``` #include using namespace std; int main() { int my_array[5] = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5}; // No boundary checking is performed by C++ my_array[7] = 42; // Storing data past the end of the array cout << "The value at index 7 is: " << my_array[7] << endl; return 0; } ``` In the above example, we created an integer array of size 5. However, we store a value at index 7, which is past the end of the array. C++ allows us to do this without any errors or warnings because there is no automatic array boundary checking. Accessing or modifying data in an incorrect location like this can lead to unexpected consequences in the program.