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Pointer Arithmetic

Pointer arithmetic allows arithmetic operations on pointers in C. The operations are increment, decrement, addition, and subtraction. When performing these operations, the pointer value changes based on the size of the data type it points to. For example, incrementing an integer pointer increases the pointer by 2 bytes since integers are 2 bytes. Pointer arithmetic is useful for iterating through arrays and finding the distance between pointers.

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743 views18 pages

Pointer Arithmetic

Pointer arithmetic allows arithmetic operations on pointers in C. The operations are increment, decrement, addition, and subtraction. When performing these operations, the pointer value changes based on the size of the data type it points to. For example, incrementing an integer pointer increases the pointer by 2 bytes since integers are 2 bytes. Pointer arithmetic is useful for iterating through arrays and finding the distance between pointers.

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Hindhupriya
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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POINTER ARITHMETIC

Page 1
Introduction
• A pointer in C is an address, which is a
numeric value.
 Therefore , we can perform arithmetic operations
on a pointer.

• There are four arithmetic operators that can


be used on pointers
 ++
 --
 +
 -

Page 2
Concept

• When we perform any arithmetic function


on a pointer, changes occur as per the
size of their primitive data type.

Page 3
Simple Example of Pointer Arithmetic

int *i;
i++ ;

• Pointer size is 2 bytes


• Pointer variable will get incremented by 2
bytes, as the primitive data type “int” is of
2 bytes.

Page 4
Simple Example of Pointer
Arithmetic
float *i;
i++ ;

• Pointer size is 4 bytes


• Pointer variable will get incremented by 4
bytes, as the primitive data type “float” is
of 4 bytes.

Page 5
POINTER ARITHMETIC OPERATIONS

1. Incrementing pointer
2. Decrementing a pointer
3. Addition of Pointer and a number
4. Subtraction of Pointer and a number
5. Differencing between two Pointers
6. Comparison between two Pointers

Page 6
1. Incrementing pointer

• Incrementing Pointer is generally used in


array because we have contiguous
memory in array and we know that the
contents of next memory location.

• Incrementing Pointer Variable depends


upon the data type of the Pointer
Variable.

Page 7
1. Incrementing pointer

DATA TYPE OLDER ADDRESS NEXT ADDRESS STORED IN


STORED IN POINTER POINTER AFTER
INCREMENTING (ptr++)
int 1000 1002

float 1000 1004

char 1000 1001

Page 8
1. Incrementing pointer
main()
{
int *ptr = (int *) 1000 ;
ptr++; //ptr = ptr + 1 ;
printf(“ new value of ptr : %d”, ptr);
}

OUTPUT:
New value of ptr : 1002

Page 9
2. Decrementing pointer

DATA TYPE OLDER ADDRESS NEXT ADDRESS STORED IN


STORED IN POINTER POINTER AFTER
INCREMENTING(ptr--)
int 1000 998

float 1000 996

char 1000 999

Page 10
2. Decrementing pointer
main()
{
int *ptr = (int *) 1000 ;
ptr-- ; //ptr = ptr - 1 ;
printf(“ new value of ptr : %d”, ptr);
}

OUTPUT:
New value of ptr : 998

Page 11
3. Addition of Pointer and a number
main()
{
int *ptr = (int *)1000;
ptr = ptr + 3;
printf(“ new value of ptr : %d”, ptr);
}
OUTPUT:
New value of ptr : 1006

Page 12
4. Subtraction of Pointer and a number
main()
{
int *ptr = (int *)1000;
ptr = ptr - 3;
printf(“ new value of ptr : %d”, ptr);
}
OUTPUT:
New value of ptr : 994

Page 13
5. Differencing between two Pointers

• Differencing means Subtracting two


Pointers.

• Subtraction gives the “total number of


objects between them”.

• Subtraction indicates “How apart the two


Pointers are?”.

Page 14
5. Differencing between two Pointers

main()
{
float *ptr1 = (float *)1000;
float *ptr2 = (float *)2000;
printf(“ Difference : %d”, ptr2 – ptr1);
}
OUTPUT:
Difference : 250

Page 15
6. Comparison between two Pointers
• Pointer comparison is valid only if the two
pointers are pointing to same array.
• All relational operators can be used for
comparing pointers of same type/different
type.
• All equality and inequality operators can
be used with all pointer types.
• Pointers cannot be multiplied or divided.

Page 16
EXAMPLE
#include<stdio.h>
int main()
{
int *ptr1,*ptr2;
ptr1 = (int *)1000;
ptr2 = (int *)2000;
if(ptr2 > ptr1)
printf("Ptr2 is far from ptr1");
return(0);
}

Page 17
Page 18

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