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C Interview Questions. C Programming Language. Programming C. Programs. C Aptitude Questions.

Learn frequently asked C language test questions. Almost every IT company asks Cquestions in placement papers and interviews. Below are some questions that are usually asked in test papers and interviews. Prepare these questions and confidently face interviews.

 

 

 
 
Predict the output or error(s) for the following:

1. void main()
{
int const * p=5;
printf("%d",++(*p));
}
Answer:
Compiler error: Cannot modify a constant value.
Explanation:
p is a pointer to a "constant integer". But we tried to change the value of the "constant integer".

2. main()
{
char s[ ]="man";
int i;
for(i=0;s[ i ];i++)
printf("\n%c%c%c%c",s[ i ],*(s+i),*(i+s),i[s]);
}
Answer:
mmmm
aaaa
nnnn
Explanation:
s[i], *(i+s), *(s+i), i[s] are all different ways of expressing the same idea. Generally array name is the base address for that array. Here s is the base address. i is the index number/displacement from the base address. So, indirecting it with * is same as s[i]. i[s] may be surprising. But in the case of C it is same as s[i].

3. main()
{
float me = 1.1;
double you = 1.1;
if(me==you)
printf("I love U");
else
printf("I hate U");
}
Answer:
I hate U
Explanation:
For floating point numbers (float, double, long double) the values cannot be predicted exactly. Depending on the number of bytes, the precession with of the value represented varies. Float takes 4 bytes and long double takes 10 bytes. So float stores 0.9 with less precision than long double.
Rule of Thumb:
Never compare or at-least be cautious when using floating point numbers with relational operators (== , >, <, <=, >=,!= ) .

4. main()
{
static int var = 5;
printf("%d ",var--);
if(var)
main();
}
Answer:
5 4 3 2 1
Explanation:
When static storage class is given, it is initialized once. The change in the value of a static variable is retained even between the function calls. Main is also treated like any other ordinary function, which can be called recursively.

5. main()
{
int c[ ]={2.8,3.4,4,6.7,5};
int j,*p=c,*q=c;
for(j=0;j<5;j++) {
printf(" %d ",*c);
++q; }
for(j=0;j<5;j++){
printf(" %d ",*p);
++p; }
}

Answer:
2 2 2 2 2 2 3 4 6 5
Explanation:
Initially pointer c is assigned to both p and q. In the first loop, since only q is incremented and not c , the value 2 will be printed 5 times. In second loop p itself is incremented. So the values 2 3 4 6 5 will be printed.

6. main()
{
extern int i;
i=20;
printf("%d",i);
}

Answer:
Linker Error : Undefined symbol '_i'
Explanation:
extern storage class in the following declaration,
extern int i;
specifies to the compiler that the memory for i is allocated in some other program and that address will be given to the current program at the time of linking. But linker finds that no other variable of name i is available in any other program with memory space allocated for it. Hence a linker error has occurred .

7. main()
{
int i=-1,j=-1,k=0,l=2,m;
m=i++&&j++&&k++||l++;
printf("%d %d %d %d %d",i,j,k,l,m);
}
Answer:
0 0 1 3 1
Explanation :
Logical operations always give a result of 1 or 0 . And also the logical AND (&&) operator has higher priority over the logical OR (||) operator. So the expression ‘i++ && j++ && k++’ is executed first. The result of this expression is 0 (-1 && -1 && 0 = 0). Now the expression is 0 || 2 which evaluates to 1 (because OR operator always gives 1 except for ‘0 || 0’ combination- for which it gives 0). So the value of m is 1. The values of other variables are also incremented by 1.

8. main()
{
char *p;
printf("%d %d ",sizeof(*p),sizeof(p));
}

Answer:
1 2
Explanation:
The sizeof() operator gives the number of bytes taken by its operand. P is a character pointer, which needs one byte for storing its value (a character). Hence sizeof(*p) gives a value of 1. Since it needs two bytes to store the address of the character pointer sizeof(p) gives 2.

C Language Questions. C Programming Language. Programming C. Programs. Object Oriented Programming C Aptitude and Interview Questions.

 


9. main()
{
int i=3;
switch(i)
{
default:printf("zero");
case 1: printf("one");
break;
case 2:printf("two");
break;
case 3: printf("three");
break;
}
}
Answer :
three
Explanation :
The default case can be placed anywhere inside the loop. It is executed only when all other cases doesn't match.

10. main()
{
printf("%x",-1<<4);
}
Answer:
fff0
Explanation :
-1 is internally represented as all 1's. When left shifted four times the least significant 4 bits are filled with 0's.The %x format specifier specifies that the integer value be printed as a hexadecimal value.

11. main()
{
char string[]="Hello World";
display(string);
}
void display(char *string)
{
printf("%s",string);
}
Answer:
Compiler Error : Type mismatch in redeclaration of function display
Explanation :
In third line, when the function display is encountered, the compiler doesn't know anything about the function display. It assumes the arguments and return types to be integers, (which is the default type). When it sees the actual function display, the arguments and type contradicts with what it has assumed previously. Hence a compile time error occurs.

12. main()
{
int c=- -2;
printf("c=%d",c);
}
Answer:
c=2;
Explanation:
Here unary minus (or negation) operator is used twice. Same maths rules applies, ie. minus * minus= plus.
Note:
However you cannot give like --2. Because -- operator can only be applied to variables as a decrement operator (eg., i--). 2 is a constant and not a variable.

13. #define int char
main()
{
int i=65;
printf("sizeof(i)=%d",sizeof(i));
}
Answer:
sizeof(i)=1
Explanation:
Since the #define replaces the string int by the macro char

14. main()
{
int i=10;
i=!i>14;
printf("i=%d",i);
}
Answer:
i=0


Explanation:
In the expression !i>14 , NOT (!) operator has more precedence than ‘ >’ symbol. ! is a unary logical operator. !i (!10) is 0 (not of true is false). 0>14 is false (zero).

15. #include
main()
{
char s[]={'a','b','c','\n','c','\0'};
char *p,*str,*str1;
p=&s[3];
str=p;
str1=s;
printf("%d",++*p + ++*str1-32);
}
Answer:
77
Explanation:
p is pointing to character '\n'. str1 is pointing to character 'a' ++*p. "p is pointing to '\n' and that is incremented by one." the ASCII value of '\n' is 10, which is then incremented to 11. The value of ++*p is 11. ++*str1, str1 is pointing to 'a' that is incremented by 1 and it becomes 'b'. ASCII value of 'b' is 98.
Now performing (11 + 98 – 32), we get 77("M");
So we get the output 77 :: "M" (Ascii is 77).

16. #include
main()
{
int a[2][2][2] = { {10,2,3,4}, {5,6,7,8} };
int *p,*q;
p=&a[2][2][2];
*q=***a;
printf("%d----%d",*p,*q);
}
Answer:
SomeGarbageValue---1
Explanation:
p=&a[2][2][2] you declare only two 2D arrays, but you are trying to access the third 2D(which you are not declared) it will print garbage values. *q=***a starting address of a is assigned integer pointer. Now q is pointing to starting address of a. If you print *q, it will print first element of 3D array.

17. #include
main()
{
struct xx
{
int x=3;
char name[]="hello";
};
struct xx *s;
printf("%d",s->x);
printf("%s",s->name);
}
Answer:
Compiler Error
Explanation:
You should not initialize variables in declaration

18. #include
main()
{
struct xx
{
int x;
struct yy
{
char s;
struct xx *p;
};
struct yy *q;
};
}
Answer:
Compiler Error
Explanation:
The structure yy is nested within structure xx. Hence, the elements are of yy are to be accessed through the instance of structure xx, which needs an instance of yy to be known. If the instance is created after defining the structure the compiler will not know about the instance relative to xx. Hence for nested structure yy you have to declare member.

19. main()
{
printf("\nab");
printf("\bsi");
printf("\rha");
}
Answer:
hai
Explanation:
\n - newline
\b - backspace
\r - linefeed

20. main()
{
int i=5;
printf("%d%d%d%d%d%d",i++,i--,++i,--i,i);
}
Answer:
45545
Explanation:
The arguments in a function call are pushed into the stack from left to right. The evaluation is by popping out from the stack. and the evaluation is from right to left, hence the result.

 

121) void main()
{
if(~0 == (unsigned int)-1)
printf(“You can answer this if you know how values are represented in memory”);
}
Answer
You can answer this if you know how values are represented in memory
Explanation
~ (tilde operator or bit-wise negation operator) operates on 0 to produce all ones to fill the space for an integer. –1 is represented in unsigned value as all 1’s and so both are equal.

122) int swap(int *a,int *b)
{
*a=*a+*b;*b=*a-*b;*a=*a-*b;
}
main()
{
int x=10,y=20;
swap(&x,&y);
printf("x= %d y = %d\n",x,y);
}
Answer
x = 20 y = 10
Explanation
This is one way of swapping two values. Simple checking will help understand this.

123) main()
{
char *p = “ayqm”;
printf(“%c”,++*(p++));
}
Answer:
b

124) main()
{
int i=5;
printf("%d",++i++);
}
Answer:
Compiler error: Lvalue required in function main
Explanation:
++i yields an rvalue. For postfix ++ to operate an lvalue is required.

125) main()
{
char *p = “ayqm”;
char c;
c = ++*p++;
printf(“%c”,c);
}
Answer:
b
Explanation:
There is no difference between the expression ++*(p++) and ++*p++. Parenthesis just works as a visual clue for the reader to see which expression is first evaluated.

126)
int aaa() {printf(“Hi”);}
int bbb(){printf(“hello”);}
iny ccc(){printf(“bye”);}

main()
{
int ( * ptr[3]) ();
ptr[0] = aaa;
ptr[1] = bbb;
ptr[2] =ccc;
ptr[2]();
}
Answer:
bye
Explanation:
int (* ptr[3])() says that ptr is an array of pointers to functions that takes no arguments and returns the type int. By the assignment ptr[0] = aaa; it means that the first function pointer in the array is initialized with the address of the function aaa. Similarly, the other two array elements also get initialized with the addresses of the functions bbb and ccc. Since ptr[2] contains the address of the function ccc, the call to the function ptr[2]() is same as calling ccc(). So it results in printing "bye".

127)
main()
{
int i=5;
printf(“%d”,i=++i ==6);
}

Answer:
1
Explanation:
The expression can be treated as i = (++i==6), because == is of higher precedence than = operator. In the inner expression, ++i is equal to 6 yielding true(1). Hence the result.

128) main()
{
char p[ ]="%d\n";
p[1] = 'c';
printf(p,65);
}
Answer:
A
Explanation:
Due to the assignment p[1] = ‘c’ the string becomes, “%c\n”. Since this string becomes the format string for printf and ASCII value of 65 is ‘A’, the same gets printed.

129) void ( * abc( int, void ( *def) () ) ) ();

Answer::
abc is a ptr to a function which takes 2 parameters .(a). an integer variable.(b). a ptrto a funtion which returns void. the return type of the function is void.
Explanation:
Apply the clock-wise rule to find the result.


130) main()
{
while (strcmp(“some”,”some\0”))
printf(“Strings are not equal\n”);
}
Answer:
No output
Explanation:
Ending the string constant with \0 explicitly makes no difference. So “some” and “some\0” are equivalent. So, strcmp returns 0 (false) hence breaking out of the while loop.

131) main()
{
char str1[] = {‘s’,’o’,’m’,’e’};
char str2[] = {‘s’,’o’,’m’,’e’,’\0’};
while (strcmp(str1,str2))
printf(“Strings are not equal\n”);
}
Answer:
“Strings are not equal”
“Strings are not equal”
….
Explanation:
If a string constant is initialized explicitly with characters, ‘\0’ is not appended automatically to the string. Since str1 doesn’t have null termination, it treats whatever the values that are in the following positions as part of the string until it randomly reaches a ‘\0’. So str1 and str2 are not the same, hence the result.

132) main()
{
int i = 3;
for (;i++=0;) printf(“%d”,i);
}

Answer:
Compiler Error: Lvalue required.
Explanation:
As we know that increment operators return rvalues and hence it cannot appear on the left hand side of an assignment operation.

133) void main()
{
int *mptr, *cptr;
mptr = (int*)malloc(sizeof(int));
printf(“%d”,*mptr);
int *cptr = (int*)calloc(sizeof(int),1);
printf(“%d”,*cptr);
}
Answer:
garbage-value 0
Explanation:
The memory space allocated by malloc is uninitialized, whereas calloc returns the allocated memory space initialized to zeros.

134) void main()
{
static int i;
while(i<=10)
(i>2)?i++:i--;
printf(“%d”, i);
}
Answer:
32767
Explanation:
Since i is static it is initialized to 0. Inside the while loop the conditional operator evaluates to false, executing i--. This continues till the integer value rotates to positive value (32767). The while condition becomes false and hence, comes out of the while loop, printing the i value.

135) main()
{
int i=10,j=20;
j = i, j?(i,j)?i:j:j;
printf("%d %d",i,j);
}

Answer:
10 10
Explanation:
The Ternary operator ( ? : ) is equivalent for if-then-else statement. So the question can be written as:
if(i,j)
{
if(i,j)
j = i;
else
j = j;
}
else
j = j;


136) 1. const char *a;
2. char* const a;
3. char const *a;
-Differentiate the above declarations.

Answer:
1. 'const' applies to char * rather than 'a' ( pointer to a constant char )
*a='F' : illegal
a="Hi" : legal

2. 'const' applies to 'a' rather than to the value of a (constant pointer to char )
*a='F' : legal
a="Hi" : illegal

3. Same as 1.

137) main()
{
int i=5,j=10;
i=i&=j&&10;
printf("%d %d",i,j);
}

Answer:
1 10
Explanation:
The expression can be written as i=(i&=(j&&10)); The inner expression (j&&10) evaluates to 1 because j==10. i is 5. i = 5&1 is 1. Hence the result.

138) main()
{
int i=4,j=7;
j = j || i++ && printf("YOU CAN");
printf("%d %d", i, j);
}

Answer:
4 1
Explanation:
The boolean expression needs to be evaluated only till the truth value of the expression is not known. j is not equal to zero itself means that the expression’s truth value is 1. Because it is followed by || and true || (anything) => true where (anything) will not be evaluated. So the remaining expression is not evaluated and so the value of i remains the same.
Similarly when && operator is involved in an expression, when any of the operands become false, the whole expression’s truth value becomes false and hence the remaining expression will not be evaluated.
false && (anything) => false where (anything) will not be evaluated.

139) main()
{
register int a=2;
printf("Address of a = %d",&a);
printf("Value of a = %d",a);
}
Answer:
Compier Error: '&' on register variable
Rule to Remember:
& (address of ) operator cannot be applied on register variables.

140) main()
{
float i=1.5;
switch(i)
{
case 1: printf("1");
case 2: printf("2");
default : printf("0");
}
}
Answer:
Compiler Error: switch expression not integral
Explanation:
Switch statements can be applied only to integral types.

141) main()
{
extern i;
printf("%d\n",i);
{
int i=20;
printf("%d\n",i);
}
}
Answer:
Linker Error : Unresolved external symbol i
Explanation:
The identifier i is available in the inner block and so using extern has no use in resolving it.

142) main()
{
int a=2,*f1,*f2;
f1=f2=&a;
*f2+=*f2+=a+=2.5;
printf("\n%d %d %d",a,*f1,*f2);
}
Answer:
16 16 16
Explanation:
f1 and f2 both refer to the same memory location a. So changes through f1 and f2 ultimately affects only the value of a.

143) main()
{
char *p="GOOD";
char a[ ]="GOOD";
printf("\n sizeof(p) = %d, sizeof(*p) = %d, strlen(p) = %d", sizeof(p), sizeof(*p), strlen(p));
printf("\n sizeof(a) = %d, strlen(a) = %d", sizeof(a), strlen(a));
}
Answer:
sizeof(p) = 2, sizeof(*p) = 1, strlen(p) = 4
sizeof(a) = 5, strlen(a) = 4
Explanation:
sizeof(p) => sizeof(char*) => 2
sizeof(*p) => sizeof(char) => 1
Similarly,
sizeof(a) => size of the character array => 5
When sizeof operator is applied to an array it returns the sizeof the array and it is not the same as the sizeof the pointer variable. Here the sizeof(a) where a is the character array and the size of the array is 5 because the space necessary for the terminating NULL character should also be taken into account.

144) #define DIM( array, type) sizeof(array)/sizeof(type)
main()
{
int arr[10];
printf(“The dimension of the array is %d”, DIM(arr, int));
}
Answer:
10
Explanation:
The size of integer array of 10 elements is 10 * sizeof(int). The macro expands to sizeof(arr)/sizeof(int) => 10 * sizeof(int) / sizeof(int) => 10.

145) int DIM(int array[])
{
return sizeof(array)/sizeof(int );
}
main()
{
int arr[10];
printf(“The dimension of the array is %d”, DIM(arr));
}
Answer:
1
Explanation:
Arrays cannot be passed to functions as arguments and only the pointers can be passed. So the argument is equivalent to int * array (this is one of the very few places where [] and * usage are equivalent). The return statement becomes, sizeof(int *)/ sizeof(int) that happens to be equal in this case.

146) main()
{
static int a[3][3]={1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9};
int i,j;
static *p[]={a,a+1,a+2};
for(i=0;i<3;i++)
{
for(j=0;j<3;j++)
printf("%d\t%d\t%d\t%d\n",*(*(p+i)+j),
*(*(j+p)+i),*(*(i+p)+j),*(*(p+j)+i));
}
}
Answer:
1 1 1 1
2 4 2 4
3 7 3 7
4 2 4 2
5 5 5 5
6 8 6 8
7 3 7 3
8 6 8 6
9 9 9 9
Explanation:
*(*(p+i)+j) is equivalent to p[i][j].

147) main()
{
void swap();
int x=10,y=8;
swap(&x,&y);
printf("x=%d y=%d",x,y);
}
void swap(int *a, int *b)
{
*a ^= *b, *b ^= *a, *a ^= *b;
}
Answer:
x=10 y=8
Explanation:
Using ^ like this is a way to swap two variables without using a temporary variable and that too in a single statement.
Inside main(), void swap(); means that swap is a function that may take any number of arguments (not no arguments) and returns nothing. So this doesn’t issue a compiler error by the call swap(&x,&y); that has two arguments.
This convention is historically due to pre-ANSI style (referred to as Kernighan and Ritchie style) style of function declaration. In that style, the swap function will be defined as follows,
void swap()
int *a, int *b
{
*a ^= *b, *b ^= *a, *a ^= *b;
}
where the arguments follow the (). So naturally the declaration for swap will look like, void swap() which means the swap can take any number of arguments.

148) main()
{
int i = 257;
int *iPtr = &i;
printf("%d %d", *((char*)iPtr), *((char*)iPtr+1) );
}
Answer:
1 1
Explanation:
The integer value 257 is stored in the memory as, 00000001 00000001, so the individual bytes are taken by casting it to char * and get printed.

149) main()
{
int i = 258;
int *iPtr = &i;
printf("%d %d", *((char*)iPtr), *((char*)iPtr+1) );
}
Answer:
2 1
Explanation:
The integer value 257 can be represented in binary as, 00000001 00000001. Remember that the INTEL machines are ‘small-endian’ machines. Small-endian means that the lower order bytes are stored in the higher memory addresses and the higher order bytes are stored in lower addresses. The integer value 258 is stored in memory as: 00000001 00000010.

150) main()
{
int i=300;
char *ptr = &i;
*++ptr=2;
printf("%d",i);
}
Answer:
556
Explanation:
The integer value 300 in binary notation is: 00000001 00101100. It is stored in memory (small-endian) as: 00101100 00000001. Result of the expression *++ptr = 2 makes the memory representation as: 00101100 00000010. So the integer corresponding to it is 00000010 00101100 => 556.

151) #include
main()
{
char * str = "hello";
char * ptr = str;
char least = 127;
while (*ptr++)
least = (*ptrprintf("%d",least);
}
Answer:
0
Explanation:
After ‘ptr’ reaches the end of the string the value pointed by ‘str’ is ‘\0’. So the value of ‘str’ is less than that of ‘least’. So the value of ‘least’ finally is 0.

152) Declare an array of N pointers to functions returning pointers to functions returning pointers to characters?
Answer:
(char*(*)( )) (*ptr[N])( );

153) main()
{
struct student
{
char name[30];
struct date dob;
}stud;
struct date
{
int day,month,year;
};
scanf("%s%d%d%d", stud.rollno, &student.dob.day, &student.dob.month, &student.dob.year);
}
Answer:
Compiler Error: Undefined structure date
Explanation:
Inside the struct definition of ‘student’ the member of type struct date is given. The compiler doesn’t have the definition of date structure (forward reference is not allowed in C in this case) so it issues an error.

154) main()
{
struct date;
struct student
{
char name[30];
struct date dob;
}stud;
struct date
{
int day,month,year;
};
scanf("%s%d%d%d", stud.rollno, &student.dob.day, &student.dob.month, &student.dob.year);
}
Answer:
Compiler Error: Undefined structure date
Explanation:
Only declaration of struct date is available inside the structure definition of ‘student’ but to have a variable of type struct date the definition of the structure is required.

155) There were 10 records stored in “somefile.dat” but the following program printed 11 names. What went wrong?
void main()
{
struct student
{
char name[30], rollno[6];
}stud;
FILE *fp = fopen(“somefile.dat”,”r”);
while(!feof(fp))
{
fread(&stud, sizeof(stud), 1 , fp);
puts(stud.name);
}
}
Explanation:
fread reads 10 records and prints the names successfully. It will return EOF only when fread tries to read another record and fails reading EOF (and returning EOF). So it prints the last record again. After this only the condition feof(fp) becomes false, hence comes out of the while loop.

156) Is there any difference between the two declarations,
1. int foo(int *arr[]) and
2. int foo(int *arr[2])
Answer:
No
Explanation:
Functions can only pass pointers and not arrays. The numbers that are allowed inside the [] is just for more readability. So there is no difference between the two declarations.


157) What is the subtle error in the following code segment?
void fun(int n, int arr[])
{
int *p=0;
int i=0;
while(i++ p = &arr[i];
*p = 0;
}
Answer & Explanation:
If the body of the loop never executes p is assigned no address. So p remains NULL where *p =0 may result in problem (may rise to runtime error “NULL pointer assignment” and terminate the program).

158) What is wrong with the following code?
int *foo()
{
int *s = malloc(sizeof(int)100);
assert(s != NULL);
return s;
}
Answer & Explanation:
assert macro should be used for debugging and finding out bugs. The check s != NULL is for error/exception handling and for that assert shouldn’t be used. A plain if and the corresponding remedy statement has to be given.

159) What is the hidden bug with the following statement?
assert(val++ != 0);
Answer & Explanation:
Assert macro is used for debugging and removed in release version. In assert, the experssion involves side-effects. So the behavior of the code becomes different in case of debug version and the release version thus leading to a subtle bug.
Rule to Remember:
Don’t use expressions that have side-effects in assert statements.

160) void main()
{
int *i = 0x400; // i points to the address 400
*i = 0; // set the value of memory location pointed by i;
}
Answer:
Undefined behavior
Explanation:
The second statement results in undefined behavior because it points to some location whose value may not be available for modification. This type of pointer in which the non-availability of the implementation of the referenced location is known as 'incomplete type'.

161) #define assert(cond) if(!(cond)) \
(fprintf(stderr, "assertion failed: %s, file %s, line %d \n",#cond,\
__FILE__,__LINE__), abort())

void main()
{
int i = 10;
if(i==0)
assert(i < 100);
else
printf("This statement becomes else for if in assert macro");
}
Answer:
No output
Explanation:
The else part in which the printf is there becomes the else for if in the assert macro. Hence nothing is printed.
The solution is to use conditional operator instead of if statement,
#define assert(cond) ((cond)?(0): (fprintf (stderr, "assertion failed: \ %s, file %s, line %d \n",#cond, __FILE__,__LINE__), abort()))

Note:
However this problem of “matching with nearest else” cannot be solved by the usual method of placing the if statement inside a block like this,
#define assert(cond) { \
if(!(cond)) \
(fprintf(stderr, "assertion failed: %s, file %s, line %d \n",#cond,\
__FILE__,__LINE__), abort()) \
}

162) Is the following code legal?
struct a
{
int x;
struct a b;
}
Answer:
No
Explanation:
Is it not legal for a structure to contain a member that is of the same
type as in this case. Because this will cause the structure declaration to be recursive without end.

163) Is the following code legal?
struct a
{
int x;
struct a *b;
}
Answer:
Yes.
Explanation:
*b is a pointer to type struct a and so is legal. The compiler knows, the size of the pointer to a structure even before the size of the structure
is determined(as you know the pointer to any type is of same size). This type of structures is known as ‘self-referencing’ structure.

164) Is the following code legal?
typedef struct a
{
int x;
aType *b;
}aType
Answer:
No
Explanation:
The typename aType is not known at the point of declaring the structure (forward references are not made for typedefs).

165) Is the following code legal?
typedef struct a aType;
struct a
{
int x;
aType *b;
};
Answer:
Yes
Explanation:
The typename aType is known at the point of declaring the structure, because it is already typedefined.

166) Is the following code legal?
void main()
{
typedef struct a aType;
aType someVariable;
struct a
{
int x;
aType *b;
};
}
Answer:
No
Explanation:
When the declaration,
typedef struct a aType;
is encountered body of struct a is not known. This is known as ‘incomplete types’.

167) void main()
{
printf(“sizeof (void *) = %d \n“, sizeof( void *));
printf(“sizeof (int *) = %d \n”, sizeof(int *));
printf(“sizeof (double *) = %d \n”, sizeof(double *));
printf(“sizeof(struct unknown *) = %d \n”, sizeof(struct unknown *));
}
Answer :
sizeof (void *) = 2
sizeof (int *) = 2
sizeof (double *) = 2
sizeof(struct unknown *) = 2
Explanation:
The pointer to any type is of same size.

168) char inputString[100] = {0};
To get string input from the keyboard which one of the following is better?
1) gets(inputString)
2) fgets(inputString, sizeof(inputString), fp)
Answer & Explanation:
The second one is better because gets(inputString) doesn't know the size of the string passed and so, if a very big input (here, more than 100 chars) the charactes will be written past the input string. When fgets is used with stdin performs the same operation as gets but is safe.

169) Which version do you prefer of the following two,
1) printf(“%s”,str); // or the more curt one
2) printf(str);
Answer & Explanation:
Prefer the first one. If the str contains any format characters like %d then it will result in a subtle bug.

170) void main()
{
int i=10, j=2;
int *ip= &i, *jp = &j;
int k = *ip/*jp;
printf(“%d”,k);
}
Answer:
Compiler Error: “Unexpected end of file in comment started in line 5”.
Explanation:
The programmer intended to divide two integers, but by the “maximum munch” rule, the compiler treats the operator sequence / and * as /* which happens to be the starting of comment. To force what is intended by the programmer,
int k = *ip/ *jp;
// give space explicity separating / and *
//or
int k = *ip/(*jp);
// put braces to force the intention
will solve the problem.

171) void main()
{
char ch;
for(ch=0;ch<=127;ch++)
printf(“%c %d \n“, ch, ch);
}
Answer:
Implementaion dependent
Explanation:
The char type may be signed or unsigned by default. If it is signed then ch++ is executed after ch reaches 127 and rotates back to -128. Thus ch is always smaller than 127.

172) Is this code legal?
int *ptr;
ptr = (int *) 0x400; Answer:
Yes
Explanation:
The pointer ptr will point at the integer in the memory location 0x400.
173) main()
{
char a[4]="HELLO";
printf("%s",a);
}
Answer:
Compiler error: Too many initializers
Explanation:
The array a is of size 4 but the string constant requires 6 bytes to get stored.

174) main()
{
char a[4]="HELL";
printf("%s",a);
}
Answer:
HELL%@!~@!@???@~~!
Explanation:
The character array has the memory just enough to hold the string “HELL” and doesnt have enough space to store the terminating null character. So it prints the HELL correctly and continues to print garbage values till it accidentally comes across a NULL character.

175) main()
{
int a=10,*j;
void *k;
j=k=&a;
j++;
k++;
printf("\n %u %u ",j,k);
}
Answer:
Compiler error: Cannot increment a void pointer
Explanation:
Void pointers are generic pointers and they can be used only when the type is not known and as an intermediate address storage type. No pointer arithmetic can be done on it and you cannot apply indirection operator (*) on void pointers.

176) main()
{
extern int i;
{ int i=20;
{
const volatile unsigned i=30; printf("%d",i);
}
printf("%d",i);
}
printf("%d",i);
}
int i;

177) Printf can be implemented by using __________ list.
Answer:
Variable length argument lists
178) char *someFun()
{
char *temp = “string constant";
return temp;
}
int main()
{
puts(someFun());
}
Answer:
string constant
Explanation:
The program suffers no problem and gives the output correctly because the character constants are stored in code/data area and not allocated in stack, so this doesn’t lead to dangling pointers.

179) char *someFun1()
{
char temp[ ] = “string";
return temp;
}
char *someFun2()
{
char temp[ ] = {‘s’, ‘t’,’r’,’i’,’n’,’g’};
return temp;
}
int main()
{
puts(someFun1());
puts(someFun2());
}
Answer:
Garbage values.
Explanation:
Both the functions suffer from the problem of dangling pointers. In someFun1() temp is a character array and so the space for it is allocated in heap and is initialized with character string “string”. This is created dynamically as the function is called, so is also deleted dynamically on exiting the function so the string data is not available in the calling function main() leading to print some garbage values. The function someFun2() also suffers from the same problem but the problem can be easily identified in this case.


 
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