Question

Define an array of 35 of the car structure variables. Initialize the first three elements with the following data: $$\begin{array}{llll} \text { Make } & \text { Model } & \text { Year } & \text { cost } \\ \text { Ford } & \text { Taurus } & 1997 & \$ 21,000 \\ \text { Honda } & \text { Accord } & 1992 & \$ 11,000 \\ \text { Lamborghini } & \text { Countach } & 1997 & \$ 200,0000 \end{array}$$

Short answer

Answer: The make, model, year, and cost of the second element in the array are "Honda", "Accord", 1992, and 11000, respectively.

Step-by-step solution

Define the Car Structure

First, create a structure to hold the car information. The structure will have four attributes: Make, Model, Year, and Cost. Define this structure with the following code: ```c #include typedef struct { char make[20]; char model[20]; int year; float cost; } Car; ```

Create an Array of Car Structures

Next, declare an array of 35 elements using the Car structure. Declare the Car array as follows: ```c Car carArray[35]; ```

Initialize the First Three Elements

Now we will initialize the first three elements of the car array with the given data. You can assign values to the elements of the array using the following code: ```c #include // For strcpy() int main() { strcpy(carArray[0].make, "Ford"); strcpy(carArray[0].model, "Taurus"); carArray[0].year = 1997; carArray[0].cost = 21000; strcpy(carArray[1].make, "Honda"); strcpy(carArray[1].model, "Accord"); carArray[1].year = 1992; carArray[1].cost = 11000; strcpy(carArray[2].make, "Lamborghini"); strcpy(carArray[2].model, "Countach"); carArray[2].year = 1997; carArray[2].cost = 200000; return 0; } ``` The `strcpy()` function is used to assign string values to the `make` and `model` attributes of the `Car` structure. Note that the `` library must be included to use `strcpy()`. Now, the car array has been created, initialized and holds the given data for the first three elements.

Key concepts

C++ Struct Utilization

Understanding how to use structures in C++ is essential for managing complex data. Structures, also known as structs, allow you to define a data type that groups variables of different types under a single name. Defining a struct is akin to creating a blueprint for a data object. In our car example, a struct named Car is created to encapsulate four properties: make, model, year, and cost.

Structs are incredibly useful when you want to store records or information that is logically related. For instance, instead of having separate arrays for car makes, models, years, and costs, you can store all of this information in a single Car structure. This not only organizes data neatly but also makes it easier to manage and pass around in your programs as a unified object.

C++ Structure Arrays

Once a struct is defined, you can create an array of these structs. In the context of our car example, an array named carArray is defined to hold 35 instances of the Car structure. Each element of the array is an object that stores a car's make, model, year, and cost.

In practice, using arrays of structures is common for maintaining collections of records in programs. Think of it as a simple in-memory database. When you need to perform operations on all these records, such as sorting or searching, having them in a single array structure is incredibly efficient and convenient.

C++ Array Initialization

Initializing arrays in C++ can be done in several ways, but when dealing with arrays of structs, initialization typically involves setting each field of each struct element. In this case, it involves copying strings into the character arrays make and model, as well as assigning values to year and cost for the first three elements of carArray.

To aid with initialization, especially string copying, we include the header <string.h> to use functions like strcpy(). It's important to note that when you initialize elements in an array of structs, you're directly manipulating memory associated with that array. Also, always ensure that you do not exceed the bounds of the character arrays when copying strings to prevent buffer overflow errors.

String Manipulation in C++

String manipulation is a common task in C++ and is particularly important when dealing with character arrays within structures. The standard function strcpy(), defined in <string.h>, is a classic utility used to copy one string to another. In our car array, strcpy() is employed to assign string literals to the make and model properties of each Car object.

When manipulating strings in C++ structs, you must ensure proper memory management and be cautious not to copy more characters than the array can hold. String functions such as strcpy(), strcat(), and strlen() are part of a programmer’s toolkit for managing character arrays. Understanding these functions and their safe alternatives like strncpy() is crucial for robust C++ programming.