Data types refer to an extensive system used for declaring different data types
The type determines how much space it occupies in storage and how the bit pattern stored is interpreted.
Data type classifieds
- Basic Types : They are arithmetic types
- Enumerated types : They are again arithmetic types
- The type void : The type specifier void indicates that no value is available.
- Derived types : Other types of data
- (a) integer types
- (b) floating-point types.
The integer types
|Type||Storage size||Value range|
|char||1 byte||-128 to 127 or 0 to 255|
|unsigned char||1 byte||0 to 255|
|signed char||1 byte||-128 to 127|
|int||2 or 4 bytes||-32,768 to 32,767 or -2,147,483,648 to 2,147,483,647|
|unsigned int||2 or 4 bytes||0 to 65,535 or 0 to 4,294,967,295|
|short||2 bytes||-32,768 to 32,767|
|unsigned short||2 bytes||0 to 65,535|
|long||4 bytes||-2,147,483,648 to 2,147,483,647|
|unsigned long||4 bytes||0 to 4,294,967,295|
|Type||Storage size||Value range||Precision|
|float||4 byte||1.2E-38 to 3.4E+38||6 decimal places|
|double||8 byte||2.3E-308 to 1.7E+308||15 decimal places|
|long double||10 byte||3.4E-4932 to 1.1E+4932||19 decimal places|
They are used to define variables that can only be assigned certain discrete integer values throughout the program.
Note : A variable is name given to a storage area that our programs can manipulate.
Note : Later we will study about Variables
The void type specifies that no value is available. It is used in three kinds of situations:
- Function returns as void
- Function arguments as void
You will know more about void when you study function
Note : A function is a group of statements that together perform a task.
Note : Later we will study more about Functions
- Pointer : Is a variable whose value is the address of another variable
- Array : Collection of variables of the same type
- Structure : Allows you to combine data items of different kinds.
- Union : data construct that allow you to store more than 1 type of data in the same storage area.
- Function : A function is a group of statements that together perform a task.
Note : The array and structure types are referred to collectively as the aggregate types
Note : Later we will study more about Derived type