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C Data Types

The document provides an overview of data types in C programming, detailing basic types such as int, float, double, char, void, short, and long, along with their sizes and usage. It explains the difference between signed and unsigned types and introduces derived data types like arrays and pointers. Additionally, it includes examples of variable declarations and the use of the sizeof() operator to check variable sizes.

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Ashish Rajput
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2 views

C Data Types

The document provides an overview of data types in C programming, detailing basic types such as int, float, double, char, void, short, and long, along with their sizes and usage. It explains the difference between signed and unsigned types and introduces derived data types like arrays and pointers. Additionally, it includes examples of variable declarations and the use of the sizeof() operator to check variable sizes.

Uploaded by

Ashish Rajput
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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C Data Types

In C programming, data types are declarations for variables. This determines the type
and size of data associated with variables. For example,

1. int myVar;
Here, myVar is a variable of int (integer) type. The size of int is 4 bytes.

Basic types
Here's a table containing commonly used types in C programming for quick access.

Type Size (bytes) Format Specifier

int at least 2, usually 4 %d

char 1 %c

float 4 %f

double 8 %lf

short
int 2 usually %hd

int
Integers are whole numbers that can have both zero, positive and negative values but
no decimal values. For example, 0, -5, 10
We can use int for declaring an integer variable.
1. int id;
Here, id is a variable of type integer.

You can declare multiple variables at once in C programming. For example,

1. int id, age;


The size of int is usually 4 bytes (32 bits). And, it can take 232 distinct states from -
2147483648 to 2147483647.
float and double
float and double are used to hold real numbers.
1. float salary;
2. double price;

In C, floating-point numbers can also be represented in exponential. For example,

1. float normalizationFactor = 22.442e2;


What's the difference between float and double?
The size of float (single precision float data type) is 4 bytes. And the size
of double (double precision float data type) is 8 bytes.

char
Keyword char is used for declaring character type variables. For example,
1. char test = 'h';

The size of the character variable is 1 byte.

void
void is an incomplete type. It means "nothing" or "no type". You can think of void
as absent.
For example, if a function is not returning anything, its return type should be void.
Note that, you cannot create variables of void type.

short and long


If you need to use a large number, you can use a type specifier long. Here's how:
1. long a;
2. long long b;
3. long double c;
Here variables a and b can store integer values. And, c can store a floating-point
number.
If you are sure, only a small integer ([−32,767, +32,767] range) will be used, you can
use short.
short d;

You can always check the size of a variable using the sizeof() operator.
1. #include <stdio.h>
2. int main() {
3. short a;
4. long b;
5. long long c;
6. long double d;
7.
8. printf("size of short = %d bytes\n", sizeof(a));
9. printf("size of long = %d bytes\n", sizeof(b));
10. printf("size of long long = %d bytes\n", sizeof(c));
11. printf("size of long double= %d bytes\n", sizeof(d));
12. return 0;
13. }

signed and unsigned


In C, signed and unsigned are type modifiers. You can alter the data storage of a data
type by using them. For example,
1. unsigned int x;
2. int y;
Here, the variable x can hold only zero and positive values because we have used
the unsigned modifier.
Considering the size of int is 4 bytes, variable y can hold values from -231 to 231-1,
whereas variable x can hold values from 0 to 232-1.

Other data types defined in C programming are:

 bool Type
 Enumerated type
 Complex types

Derived Data Types


Data types that are derived from fundamental data types are derived types. For
example: arrays, pointers, function types, structures, etc.

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