C programming is a general-purpose programming language that provides low-level access to memory and system functions, making it well-suited for system programming as well as application programming. Developed in the 1970s, C has influenced many other programming languages and remains widely used for its performance and efficiency.
1. What is a character set in C?
A character set in C is a collection of characters that can be used in a program, including letters (both uppercase and lowercase), digits, punctuation marks, and special symbols. The C language uses the ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) character set, which provides a standard way to represent characters in binary form.
2. What are Data types in C?
Data types in C define the nature of data that can be stored in a variable. They determine the amount of memory allocated, the format of the data stored, and what operations can be performed on that data. The primary data types in C include:
- Basic Data Types: int, char, float, double
- Derived Data Types: arrays, pointers, structures, unions
- Enumeration Types: enums
- Void Type: used to indicate that no value is available.
3. What are Escape sequences in C?
Escape sequences in C are special character combinations that represent a single character, typically used to format output or to insert special characters into strings. They begin with a backslash (\). Common escape sequences include:
\n(newline)\t(tab)\\(backslash)\'(single quote)\"(double quote)
4. What are comments in C?
Comments in C are non-executable text used to document code, making it easier for programmers to understand and maintain it. There are two types of comments in C:
- Single-line comments: Begin with
//and extend to the end of the line. - Multi-line comments: Enclosed between
/*and*/, can span multiple lines.
5. What are special symbols in C?
Special symbols in C are reserved characters that have specific meanings in the language, often used in operations or to separate different elements in the code. Examples include:
;(statement terminator){and}(block delimiters)(and)(function call and grouping)=(assignment)+,-,*,/(arithmetic operators)
6. What are numbers in C?
In C, numbers can be represented using various data types, primarily:
- Integer Types:
int,short,long,unsignedvariations, which store whole numbers. - Floating-point Types:
float,double, andlong doublefor decimal values. C also supports constants, such asconst, which are immutable values.
7. What are Variables and types of data types in C?
Variables in C are named storage locations in memory that hold data which can be modified during program execution. Each variable has a type, associated with a data type, that determines what kind of data it can hold. Common variable types include:
- int: for integers
- char: for characters
- float: for floating-point numbers
- double: for double-precision floating-point numbers Variables must be declared before they can be used.
8. Differentiate between High-level language and Low-level language in C.
-
High-level Language: A programming language that is human-readable and abstracts away most of the hardware details. It generally allows for easier code writing, readability, and portability. Examples include Python, Java, and C++.
-
Low-level Language: A programming language that provides little abstraction from a computer’s instruction set architecture. It closely interacts with the hardware, which leads to optimizations in performance. Assembly language and machine code are examples of low-level languages.
C is often considered a middle-level language as it combines features of both high and low-level languages, allowing for hardware manipulation while providing constructs and syntax that are closer to human language.