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The value of a is 7

The value of *aPtr is 7

Notice that the address of a and the value of aPtr are identical in the output, confirming that the address of a is assigned to the pointer variable aPtr.

Calling functions by reference with pointer arguments

In C++, programmers can use pointers and the dereference operator to simulate call-by-reference. When calling a function with arguments should be modified, the addresses of the arguments are passed. This is normally achieved by applying the address-of operator (&) to the name of the variable whose value will be used. A function receiving an address as an argument must define a pointer parameter to receive the address.

Example

// Cube a variable using call-by-reference

// with a pointer argument

#include<iostream.h>

void cubeByReference( int * ); // prototype

int main()

{

int number = 5;

cout<<"The original value of number is "<<number;

cubeByReference(&number );

cout<<"\nThe new value of number is "<<number<<endl;

return 0;

}

void cubeByReference( int *nPtr )

{

*nPtr = (*nPtr) * (*nPtr) * (*nPtr); // cube number in main

}

The output of the above propgram:

The original value of number is 5

The new value of number is 125

Pointers and arrays

Notice that the name of an array by itself is equivalent to the base address of that array. That is, the name z in isolation is equivalent to the expression&z[0].

Example

#include<iostream.h>

int main()

{

int z[] = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5};

cout<<“The value return by ‘z’ itself is

the addr “<<z<<endl;

cout<<“The address of the 0th element of

z is “<<&z[0]<<endl;

return 0;

}

The output of the above program:

The value return by ‘z’ itself is the addr 0x0065FDF4

The address of the 0th element of z is 0x0065FDF4

Accessing Array Element Using Pointer and Offset

Now, let us store the address of array element 0 in a pointer. Then using the indirection operator, *, we can use the address in the pointer to access each array element.

For example, if we store the address of grade[0] into a pointer named gPtr, then the expression *gPtr refers to grade[0].

One unique feature of pointers is that offset may be included in pointer expression.

For example, the expression *(gPtr + 3) refers to the variable that is three (elements) beyond the variable pointed to by gPtr.

The number 3 in the pointer expression is an offset. So gPtr + 3 points to the element grade[3] of the grade array.

Example

#include<iostream.h>

int main()

{

int b[] = { 10, 20, 30, 40 }, i, offset;

int *bPtr = b; // set bPtr to point to array b

cout<<"Array b printed with:\n"

<<"Array subscript notation\n";

for ( i = 0; i<4; i++ )

cout<<"b["<<i<<"] = "<<b[ i ]<<'\n';

cout<<"\nPointer/offset notation\n";

for ( offset = 0; offset<4; offset++ )

cout<<"*(bPtr + "<<offset<<") = "

<<*( bPtr + offset )<<'\n';

return 0;

}

The output of the above program is:

Array b printed with:

Array subscript notation

b[0] = 10

b[1] = 20

b[2] = 30

b[3] = 40

Pointer/offset notation

*(bPtr + 0) = 10

*(bPtr + 1) = 20

*(bPtr + 2) = 30

*(bPtr + 3) = 40

Pointers and strings

In C++ we often use character arrays to represent strings. A string is an array of characters ending in a null character (‘\0’). Therefore, we can scan through a string by using a pointer. Thus, in C++, it is appropriate to say that a string is a constant pointer – a pointer to the string’s first character.

Questions & Answers

the diagram of the digestive system
Assiatu Reply
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William Reply
They formed in two ways first when one sperm and one egg are splited by mitosis or two sperm and two eggs join together
Oluwatobi
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Josephine Reply
Genetics is the study of heredity
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Misack
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Joseph Reply
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Yousuf Reply
the study of living organisms and their interactions with one another and their environments
AI-Robot
the study of living organisms and their interactions with one another and their environment.
Wine
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Joseph Reply
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list any five characteristics of the blood cells
Shaker
lack electricity and its more savely than electronic microscope because its naturally by using of light
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advantage of electronic microscope is easily and clearly while disadvantage is dangerous because its electronic. advantage of light microscope is savely and naturally by sun while disadvantage is not easily,means its not sharp and not clear
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is like gone fail us
DENG
cells is the basic structure and functions of all living things
Ramadan
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ISCONT Reply
is organisms that are similar into groups called tara
Yamosa
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Kenna Reply
A scanning electron microscope (SEM) is ideal for situations requiring high-resolution imaging of surfaces. It is commonly used in materials science, biology, and geology to examine the topography and composition of samples at a nanoscale level. SEM is particularly useful for studying fine details,
Hilary
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Condoleezza Reply
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Diversity of living thing
ISCONT
what is cell division
Aron Reply
Cell division is the process by which a single cell divides into two or more daughter cells. It is a fundamental process in all living organisms and is essential for growth, development, and reproduction. Cell division can occur through either mitosis or meiosis.
AI-Robot
What is life?
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life is defined as any system capable of performing functions such as eating, metabolizing,excreting,breathing,moving,Growing,reproducing,and responding to external stimuli.
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Source:  OpenStax, Programming fundamentals in c++. OpenStax CNX. Jul 29, 2009 Download for free at http://cnx.org/content/col10788/1.1
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