C++ Array Exercises For Beginners

9 min read Jul 01, 2024

C++ Array Exercises for Beginners

Arrays are fundamental data structures in programming. They allow you to store collections of elements of the same data type in a contiguous memory location. This makes them incredibly efficient for various tasks, such as storing lists of numbers, characters, or even objects.

If you're a beginner in C++, getting comfortable with arrays is crucial. The following exercises will help you grasp the basics of array manipulation and get you started on your journey of mastering C++:

Exercise 1: Initializing and Printing an Array

Objective: Create an array of integers, initialize it with values, and print each element.

Instructions:

Declare an integer array named numbers with a size of 5.
Initialize the array with the following values: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50.
Use a for loop to iterate through the array and print each element on a separate line.

Code Example:

#include 

using namespace std;

int main() {
  int numbers[5] = {10, 20, 30, 40, 50};

  for (int i = 0; i < 5; ++i) {
    cout << numbers[i] << endl;
  }

  return 0;
}

Exercise 2: Finding the Sum of Array Elements

Objective: Calculate the sum of all elements in an array.

Instructions:

Declare an integer array named scores with a size of 10.
Initialize the array with random integer values using a loop.
Use another loop to iterate through the array and add each element to a variable called sum.
Print the final value of sum.

Code Example:

#include 
#include  // For using rand()

using namespace std;

int main() {
  int scores[10];
  int sum = 0;

  // Initialize the array with random values
  for (int i = 0; i < 10; ++i) {
    scores[i] = rand() % 100; // Generate random values between 0 and 99
  }

  // Calculate the sum of array elements
  for (int i = 0; i < 10; ++i) {
    sum += scores[i];
  }

  cout << "The sum of array elements is: " << sum << endl;

  return 0;
}

Exercise 3: Finding the Largest Element in an Array

Objective: Find the largest element in an array.

Instructions:

Declare an integer array named numbers with a size of 8.
Initialize the array with random integer values using a loop.
Set a variable largest to the first element of the array.
Iterate through the array using a loop.
Inside the loop, compare each element to the current largest value. If an element is greater than largest, update the largest value.
Print the final value of largest.

Code Example:

#include 
#include 

using namespace std;

int main() {
  int numbers[8];
  int largest = numbers[0];

  // Initialize the array with random values
  for (int i = 0; i < 8; ++i) {
    numbers[i] = rand() % 100; 
  }

  // Find the largest element
  for (int i = 1; i < 8; ++i) {
    if (numbers[i] > largest) {
      largest = numbers[i];
    }
  }

  cout << "The largest element in the array is: " << largest << endl;

  return 0;
}

Exercise 4: Sorting an Array in Ascending Order

Objective: Sort the elements of an array in ascending order using the bubble sort algorithm.

Instructions:

Declare an integer array named numbers with a size of 6.
Initialize the array with random integer values using a loop.
Implement the bubble sort algorithm:
- Iterate through the array using a nested loop.
- In the inner loop, compare adjacent elements. If they are in the wrong order, swap them.
Print the sorted array.

Code Example:

#include 
#include 

using namespace std;

int main() {
  int numbers[6];

  // Initialize the array with random values
  for (int i = 0; i < 6; ++i) {
    numbers[i] = rand() % 100; 
  }

  // Bubble Sort
  for (int i = 0; i < 6 - 1; ++i) {
    for (int j = 0; j < 6 - i - 1; ++j) {
      if (numbers[j] > numbers[j + 1]) {
        // Swap elements
        int temp = numbers[j];
        numbers[j] = numbers[j + 1];
        numbers[j + 1] = temp;
      }
    }
  }

  // Print the sorted array
  cout << "Sorted array in ascending order: ";
  for (int i = 0; i < 6; ++i) {
    cout << numbers[i] << " ";
  }
  cout << endl;

  return 0;
}

Exercise 5: Searching for an Element in an Array

Objective: Find a specific element in an array using a linear search.

Instructions:

Declare an integer array named numbers with a size of 7.
Initialize the array with random integer values using a loop.
Prompt the user to enter a number to search for.
Implement a linear search algorithm:
- Iterate through the array using a loop.
- If the search number is found, print its index and break out of the loop.
- If the number is not found after iterating through the entire array, print a message indicating that the element is not present.

Code Example:

#include 
#include 

using namespace std;

int main() {
  int numbers[7];
  int searchNumber;

  // Initialize the array with random values
  for (int i = 0; i < 7; ++i) {
    numbers[i] = rand() % 100;
  }

  // Get the number to search for from the user
  cout << "Enter the number to search for: ";
  cin >> searchNumber;

  // Linear Search
  for (int i = 0; i < 7; ++i) {
    if (numbers[i] == searchNumber) {
      cout << "The number " << searchNumber << " is found at index " << i << endl;
      return 0; // Exit the program
    }
  }

  // If the number is not found
  cout << "The number " << searchNumber << " is not present in the array." << endl;

  return 0;
}

These exercises are just a starting point for your C++ array exploration. You can continue building upon them by creating more complex programs that involve multidimensional arrays, dynamic allocation, and more advanced algorithms. Remember, practice is key!

C++ Array Exercises For Beginners