C Programming – Important Theory Questions with
Answers
1. Explain the features of C language.
- General purpose, structured, mid-level language.
- Portable and efficient.
- Supports modular programming (functions).
- Rich library of operators and functions.
- Used for system programming and applications.
2. Explain the structure of a C program with an example.
A C program has:
1. Preprocessor directives (#include <stdio.h>).
2. main() function (starting point).
3. Variable declarations.
4. Statements and logic.
5. Return statement.
Example:
#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
int a=5,b=10,sum;
sum=a+b;
printf("Sum=%d",sum);
return 0;
}
3. What is the difference between a compiler and an interpreter?
- Compiler: Translates entire program at once (C uses compiler).
- Interpreter: Executes line by line (Python uses interpreter).
4. What are keywords, identifiers, constants, and variables in C?
- Keywords: Reserved words (int, float, return).
- Identifiers: User-defined names for variables/functions.
- Constants: Fixed values (e.g., 10, 3.14, 'A').
- Variables: Named storage that can change value.
5. Explain different data types in C with examples.
Basic: int, float, char, double
Derived: arrays, pointers, structures, functions
Void: no value
Example:
int age=20;
float marks=85.5;
char grade='A';
6. Explain the types of operators in C.
Arithmetic: +, -, *, /, %
Relational: >, <, ==, !=
Logical: &&, ||, !
Assignment: =
Increment/Decrement: ++, --
7. Differentiate between '=' and '=='.
- '=' is assignment operator (a=5).
- '==' is equality check (a==5).
8. What is the difference between while and do-while loop?
- while: condition checked first, may run 0 times.
- do-while: executes at least once, condition checked later.
9. Write the syntax of if-else and switch with examples.
if(condition) {
statements;
} else {
statements;
}
switch(choice) {
case 1: ...; break;
case 2: ...; break;
default: ...;
}
10. What is the difference between break and continue statements?
- break: exits loop/switch completely.
- continue: skips current iteration, moves to next.
11. What is an array? Explain 1D and 2D arrays with examples.
Array = collection of same data type.
1D: int marks[5] = {10,20,30,40,50};
2D: int mat[2][2] = {{1,2},{3,4}};
12. What is the difference between array and pointer?
- Array: collection of elements, fixed size.
- Pointer: variable storing address of another variable.
13. Write the syntax for declaring and initializing arrays.
int arr[5] = {1,2,3,4,5};
14. What are string handling functions in C?
strlen() – length of string
strcpy() – copy string
strcmp() – compare strings
strcat() – join strings
15. Differentiate between character array and string.
- Char array: collection of characters.
- String: char array ending with null '\0'.
16. What is a function? Explain call by value and call by reference.
Function = block of reusable code.
Call by value = copy passed, original unchanged.
Call by reference = address passed, original changes.
17. What is the use of pointers in C? Give examples.
Pointers store addresses, used for dynamic memory, arrays, functions.
Example:
int a=10; int *p; p=&a;
18. What is recursion? Give one example.
Recursion = function calling itself.
Example: factorial function.
19. What is the difference between local and global variables?
- Local: declared inside function, used only there.
- Global: declared outside, used in entire program.
20. What is the difference between formal and actual parameters?
- Formal: variables in function definition.
- Actual: values passed during function call.
21. What is a structure? How is it different from an array?
Structure: collection of different data types.
Array: collection of same data type.
22. Write the syntax to declare and access structure members.
struct Student {int roll; char name[20];};
struct Student s1;
s1.roll=1;
23. Differentiate between structure and union.
- Structure: all members have separate memory.
- Union: members share same memory location.
24. Explain file handling functions: fopen, fprintf, fscanf, fclose.
fopen() – open file
fprintf() – write to file
fscanf() – read from file
fclose() – close file
25. What is the difference between text file and binary file in C?
- Text file: stores data in readable format.
- Binary file: stores data in binary (faster, smaller).
