What happens when we declare a Variable

When we declare a variable, the system allocates space

sufficient to hold the value of the specified type.

For Ex. int number = 178;

This statement requests the system to find some location for

this (integer type ) and store the value there.

number Variable

178 value
4523 Address
178
 How to access value of Variable

Ex. int number = 178

We may access the value 178 stored at the location

by using variable name (number), or by using
variable address (4523).

As the addresses are numbers they can be assigned

to some integer variable, which again can be stored
in memory.

 Such variables that hold the address of another variable

are called as Pointer variables.
 Introduction to Pointers
Pointers are variables which stores memory address.

Every pointer has a data type associated with it.

A variable declaration with asterisk (*) before the

variable name creates a pointer.

For Example:

int *number creates a pointer number.

 Pointers Concepts:

Variable value Address

n 4522 int n;

m int m;
4526

*num 4530 int *num;

523

178

Here num is called as a Pointer.

A pointer variable is denoted by *
 Concept of Pointers

Variable value Address

n 4522 int n;
6
m int m;
4526

*num 4530 int *num;

523
n=6;
178
 Concept of Pointers

Variable value Address

n 4522 int n;
6

m int m;
4526

*num 523 4530 int *num;

num 4522 n=6;

178
num = &n;

‘&’ operator returns the address of its argument

num = &n sets the pointer num to the address of the variable
n.
 Concept of Pointers

Variable value Address

n 4522 int n;
6

m 6 int m;
4526

*num 6 523 4530 int *num;

num 4522 n=6;

178
num = &n;
m = *num
‘*’ operator is called as indirection operator.

Indirection operator sets the value of m to that pointed by

num
 Declaring Pointer Variables
Since a pointer variables contains address, it should be declared as
pointer before it is used.
 int *ptr;

Here, the asterisk (*) tells us that the variable is a pointer variable.
 ptr is the name given to the pointer variable .
 ptr points to the memory location of a variable of type int .

Ex: int *ptr; // integer pointer

float *f; // float pointer
 Pointer Declaration

This is the process by which compiler allocates

memory for Pointer which initially contains some
unknown value.
int *num
num Name
?

4550 address

Valid declarations:

int* p;
int *p; // most popular way of declaration
int * p;
 Initializing Pointers

This is the process of assigning the address of a

variable to a Pointer variable.

Ex 1:
int n;
int *num;
num= &n;

Ex 2:
float f; // wrong
int *p
p= &f;
 Example
main()
{
int number, Y;
int *ptr;

value of number is 5
number = 5;
ptr= &number; value of ptr is the address of marks
(=4523)
Y = *ptr
} value of Y is 5
 int *j;
int i=10; j=&i;
Variable name
i
j
10 Value in Variable
6734
6734 Address of variable
3256
main()
{ j is a pointer variable that contains address of i.
int i=10;
int *j;
j=&i; address of i=6734
printf(“%d”, &i); address of j=3256
printf(“%d”, &j); value of j=6734
printf(“%d”, j); value of i=10
printf(“%d”, i); value of i=10
printf(“%d”, *j); value of i=10
printf(“%d”, *(&i));
}