Question

Arrays, unlike simple built-in types, are passed by ____.

Answer 1

Arrays are passed by reference in programming, which means the original array is directly affected by changes made within a function, and no separate copy is created. This is important for memory and performance considerations.

Step-by-step explanation:

Arrays, unlike simple built-in types, are passed by reference. This means that when an array is passed to a function, what is actually passed is a reference to the original array, not a separate copy of its contents.

This can have important implications for performance, as passing large arrays by value (which would involve copying the entire array) can be costly in terms of memory and processing time.

Additionally, because arrays are passed by reference, changes made to the array within the function are reflected in the original array, outside the function scope. It's crucial for programming students to understand this concept to avoid unexpected behaviors in their code.