Data types used in 'C' programing for SEE and NEB

Introduction:

Data types are important in defining the types of data that can be stored and manipulated by a program in 'C' programming. Understanding data types is critical for any programmer, especially those studying for the SEE (Secondary Education Examination) and NEB (National Examination Board) exams. This article delves into the data types used in 'C' programming, such as primitive data types, derived data types, and type modifiers.

Data Types in 'C' Programming Overview:

Data types refer to the type of data or variable which is to be stored and used in the program. Every variable must have a valid data type. A Data type tells the following things:

• It specially or limit-up type of data or value stored in the variable.
• Data type decides the memory requirement of the variable.
• It also specifies which type of operations could perform on data.

In  C language data types are classified into two categories.

1) Primary data types

2) Secondary data types

1) Primary data types:

The fundamental data types are called primary data types. They are also called build other data types. Following are the different types of primary data types.

Basic data types	Data types  with type qualifiers	Size (bytes)	Range
Char	char or signed char unsigned char	1 1	-128 to 127 0 to 255
int	int or signed int unsigned int short int or signed short int unsigned short int long int or signed long int unsigned long int	2 2 1 1 4 4	-32768 to 32767 0 to 65535 -128 to 127 0 to 255 -2147483648 to 2147483647 0 to 4294967295
float	float	4	3.4E-38 to 3.4E+38
double	double long double	8 10	1.7E -308 to 1.7E+308 3.4E-4932 to 1.1E+4392

Following are the different data types that we use in C:

i) Character Data Type (char): 

This data type is used for storing character when we initialize the character data type then its value is single character enclosed within single quotes.

Its Keywords is char

Eg. Char choice = ‘p’;

Data type modifier:

Char data type is used modify as :

i) signed   ii) unsigned

Eg.  Signed char a;

 Note: Signed char range is -127 to 127

Char data type is also used to store string values that are represented within double quotes " "and the variable is defined as array.

Example:

Char name [15] =”AISHWARYA”

 

ii) Integer Data Type (int): 

Integer data type is used with such variable that stores integer's values. The keyword int is used to assign integer type value t the variable.

Example:

int num = 5;

Data type modifier:

Integer (int) data type use 4 data modifiers i.e. long, short, signed, unsigned

iii)  Float Data Type (float): 

This data type is used when we require to store floating point numeric value.  The keyword float is used to assign this data type to the variable.

Example:

float per = 75.36;

The float variable occupies 4 byte and contained the data range  from to 

 

iv) Double Data Type: 

The double data type also used to store floating numeric values.  It stores very large floating point numerical. It occupies 8 bytes and 10 bytes.  It has two modifiers short and long.  It ranges from to 

Example:

double radi = 0.009;

Note: Float doesn’t contain any modifier.

 

2) Secondary data types:

Following are the different types of secondary data types.

Array Data Type:

An array is a grouping of elements with the same data type. It enables the storage of multiple values under a single variable name.

For example:

int num[10]; // An array of 10 integers

Structure Data Type:

A structure is a user-defined data type that allows different types of data elements to be combined into a single entity. It allows you to represent a real-world entity or a collection of related data.
For example:
struct student
{
char name[50];
int age;
float marks;
};

Union Data Type:

A union is similar to a structure but can hold only one value at a time, even if it has multiple members. It allows storing different types of data in the same memory location.
For example:
union data
{
int num;
float score;
char letter;
};

 Format Specifier

The basic data types can have specifiers preceding them. A type specifier alters the meaning of data type to more precisely fit a specific need.

Following are the different types of format specifier:

Data types	Format specifiers symbol
Integer	%d
Unsigned integer	%u
Octal	%o
Hexadecimal	%x
float (simple)	%f
float (exponential)	%e
Character	%c
String	%s

 Character specifier used with format specifier.

Character	Meaning
%	First character. It is compulsory.
_	minus. used for left align.
W	used for specifying width
.	dot (period), used for specifying period.
P	used for specifying precision

Conclusion:

Understanding data types is essential for any programmer, but it is especially important when studying for the SEE and NEB exams. In this article, we looked at the different data types used in 'C' programming, such as integers, floating-point numbers, and characters, as well as derived data types like arrays, structures, unions, enumerated types, and the void type. We also talked about type modifiers like signed, unsigned, short, and long. Understanding these data types thoroughly will allow you to write efficient and error-free 'C' programs.

FAQs

Q1: Can we create our own data types in 'C' programming? 

A: Yes, 'C' allows the creation of user-defined data types using structures and unions.

Q2: What is the difference between a structure and a union? 

A: A structure can hold multiple values simultaneously, whereas a union can hold only one value at a time, even if it has multiple members.

Q3: Are there any limits on the size of an array in 'C' programming? 

A: Yes, the size of an array is limited by the available memory in the system.

Q4: Can we have negative values in an unsigned integer? 

A: No, unsigned integers can hold only non-negative values.

Q5: What does the 'void' data type indicate in 'C' programming? 

A: The 'void' data type indicates the absence of any type. It is often used as a return type for functions that