POINTER ARITHMETIC
Page 1
Introduction
• A pointer in C is an address, which is a
numeric value.
Therefore , we can perform arithmetic operations
on a pointer.
• There are four arithmetic operators that can
be used on pointers
++
--
+
-
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Concept
• When we perform any arithmetic function
on a pointer, changes occur as per the
size of their primitive data type.
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Simple Example of Pointer Arithmetic
int *i;
i++ ;
• Pointer size is 2 bytes
• Pointer variable will get incremented by 2
bytes, as the primitive data type “int” is of
2 bytes.
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Simple Example of Pointer
Arithmetic
float *i;
i++ ;
• Pointer size is 4 bytes
• Pointer variable will get incremented by 4
bytes, as the primitive data type “float” is
of 4 bytes.
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POINTER ARITHMETIC OPERATIONS
1. Incrementing pointer
2. Decrementing a pointer
3. Addition of Pointer and a number
4. Subtraction of Pointer and a number
5. Differencing between two Pointers
6. Comparison between two Pointers
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1. Incrementing pointer
• Incrementing Pointer is generally used in
array because we have contiguous
memory in array and we know that the
contents of next memory location.
• Incrementing Pointer Variable depends
upon the data type of the Pointer
Variable.
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1. Incrementing pointer
DATA TYPE OLDER ADDRESS NEXT ADDRESS STORED IN
STORED IN POINTER POINTER AFTER
INCREMENTING (ptr++)
int 1000 1002
float 1000 1004
char 1000 1001
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1. Incrementing pointer
main()
{
int *ptr = (int *) 1000 ;
ptr++; //ptr = ptr + 1 ;
printf(“ new value of ptr : %d”, ptr);
}
OUTPUT:
New value of ptr : 1002
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2. Decrementing pointer
DATA TYPE OLDER ADDRESS NEXT ADDRESS STORED IN
STORED IN POINTER POINTER AFTER
INCREMENTING(ptr--)
int 1000 998
float 1000 996
char 1000 999
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2. Decrementing pointer
main()
{
int *ptr = (int *) 1000 ;
ptr-- ; //ptr = ptr - 1 ;
printf(“ new value of ptr : %d”, ptr);
}
OUTPUT:
New value of ptr : 998
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3. Addition of Pointer and a number
main()
{
int *ptr = (int *)1000;
ptr = ptr + 3;
printf(“ new value of ptr : %d”, ptr);
}
OUTPUT:
New value of ptr : 1006
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4. Subtraction of Pointer and a number
main()
{
int *ptr = (int *)1000;
ptr = ptr - 3;
printf(“ new value of ptr : %d”, ptr);
}
OUTPUT:
New value of ptr : 994
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5. Differencing between two Pointers
• Differencing means Subtracting two
Pointers.
• Subtraction gives the “total number of
objects between them”.
• Subtraction indicates “How apart the two
Pointers are?”.
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5. Differencing between two Pointers
main()
{
float *ptr1 = (float *)1000;
float *ptr2 = (float *)2000;
printf(“ Difference : %d”, ptr2 – ptr1);
}
OUTPUT:
Difference : 250
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6. Comparison between two Pointers
• Pointer comparison is valid only if the two
pointers are pointing to same array.
• All relational operators can be used for
comparing pointers of same type/different
type.
• All equality and inequality operators can
be used with all pointer types.
• Pointers cannot be multiplied or divided.
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EXAMPLE
#include<stdio.h>
int main()
{
int *ptr1,*ptr2;
ptr1 = (int *)1000;
ptr2 = (int *)2000;
if(ptr2 > ptr1)
printf("Ptr2 is far from ptr1");
return(0);
}
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