Cambridge (CIE) O Level Your notes

Computer Science
Arrays
Contents
Arrays

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 Arrays
Your notes
1-Dimensional Arrays
What is an array?
An array is an ordered, static set of elements in a fixed-size memory location
An array can only store 1 data type
A 1D array is a linear array
Indexes start at generally start at 0, known as zero-indexed

Concept Pseudocode Python

Create DECLARE scores: ARRAY[0:4]OF INTEGER scores = []

Creates a blank array with 5 elements (0-4) Creates a blank array

scores ← [12, 10, 5, 2, 8] scores = [12, 10, 5, 2, 8]

Creates an array called scores with values assigned

Assignment colours[4] ← "Red" colours[4] = "Red"

Assigns the colour "Red" to index 4 (5th element)

Example in Python
Creating a one-dimensional array called ‘array’ which contains 5 integers.
Create the array with the following syntax:
array = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

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 Access the individual elements of the array by using the following syntax:
array[index]
Your notes
Modify the individual elements by assigning new values to specific indexes using the
following syntax:
array[index] = newValue

Use the len function to determine the length of the array by using the following syntax:
len(array)

In the example the array has been iterated through to output each element within the
array. A for loop has been used for this
Python

# Creating a one-dimensional array

array = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

# Accessing elements of the array

print(array[0]) # Output: 1
print(array[2]) # Output: 3

# Modifying elements of the array

array[1] = 10
print(array) # Output: [1, 10, 3, 4, 5]

# Iterating over the array

for element in array:
print(element)

# Output:
#1
# 10
#3
#4
#5

# Length of the array

length = len(array)
print(length) # Output: 5

2-Dimensional Arrays
What is a 2-dimensional array?
A 2D array extends the concept on a 1D array by adding another dimension
A 2D array can be visualised as a table with rows and columns
When navigating through a 2D array you first have to go down the rows and then across
the columns to find a position within the array

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 Your notes

Concept Pseudocode Python

Create Declare a 2D array with name and Creates a 3x2 blank array (3 people,
number for 3 people each with name and number)

DECLARE NamesAndNumbers : NamesANDNumbers = [[None, None],

ARRAY[1:3, 1:2] OF STRING [None, None], [None, None]]

1:3 = 3 rows → one for each person

1:2 = 2 columns → one for name,

one for number
OF STRING → both names and phone
numbers are stored as strings

Declare a 2D array called players with name and score assigned for 4 people
(Alice, Bob, Charlie & Daisy)

// Declare a 2D array with 4 rows and 2 # Each player has a name and a score
columns (name and score)
players = [
DECLARE players : ARRAY[1:4, 1:2] OF
["Alice", 25],
STRING

["Bob", 30],
// Assign values to each player

["Charlie", 22],
players[1,1] ← "Alice"

["Daisy", 28]
players[1,2] ← "25"

]
players[2,1] ← "Bob"

players[2,2] ← "30"

players[3,1] ← "Charlie"

players[3,2] ← "22"

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 players[4,1] ← "Daisy"

players[4,2] ← "28" Your notes

Assignment Assigning the name Holly to replace the name Charlie

players[3,1] ← "Holly" players[2][0] = "Holly" # Charlie is at index

2 (third row), name is at index 0

Example in Python
Initialising a 2D array with 3 rows and 3 columns, with the specified values

array_2d = [[1, 2, 3],

[4, 5, 6],
[7, 8, 9]]

# Accessing elements in the 2D array

print(array_2d[0][0]) # Output: 1
print(array_2d[1][2]) # Output: 6

Iterating through a 2-dimensions array

When iterating through an array, a nested for loop can be used

Nested iteration to access items in the 2D array

for row in array_2d:

for item in row:
print(item, end=" ")
print() # Print a newline after each row

Examiner Tips and Tricks

In the exam, the question will always give an example to demonstrate which order the
array is being read from.
Some questions can be X,Y and others can be Y, X. Always refer to the example before
giving your answer!

Worked Example
A parent records the length of time being spent watching TV by 4 children

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Data for one week (Monday to Friday) is stored in a 2D array with the identifier
minsWatched.
Your notes
The following table shows the array

Quinn Lyla Harry Elias

0 1 2 3

Monday 0 34 67 89 78

Tuesday 1 56 43 45 56

Wednesday 2 122 23 34 45

Thursday 3 13 109 23 90

Friday 4 47 100 167 23

Elias watched 78 minutes of TV on Monday:

Identify the row for Monday: Row 0.
Identify the column for Elias: Column 3.
Find the value at minsWatched[0][3]: The value is 78
Write a line of code to output the number of minutes that Lyla watched TV on Tuesday
[1]
Write a line of code to output the number of minutes that Harry watched TV on Friday
[1]
Write a line of code to output the number of minutes that Quinn watched TV on
Wednesday [1]
Answers
print(minsWatched[1][1] OR print(minsWatched[1,1]
print(minsWatched[4][2] OR print(minsWatched[4,2]
print(minsWatched[2][0] OR print(minsWatched[2,0]

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