Quiz: Pointers

Introduction

Quiz: Pointers checks how well you can apply Difference between & and * and Pointer arithmetic on int* (and related ideas) in C. Try each prompt in a scratch file before moving on.

Understanding the topic

Challenge 1 In your own words — or with a tiny program — show that you understand: Difference between & and *.

Challenge 2 In your own words — or with a tiny program — show that you understand: Pointer arithmetic on int*.

Challenge 3 In your own words — or with a tiny program — show that you understand: NULL pointer value.

Challenge 4 In your own words — or with a tiny program — show that you understand: Array name as pointer.

• Challenge 1 — In your own words — or with a tiny program — show that you understand: Difference between & and *.
• Challenge 2 — In your own words — or with a tiny program — show that you understand: Pointer arithmetic on int*.
• Challenge 3 — In your own words — or with a tiny program — show that you understand: NULL pointer value.
• Challenge 4 — In your own words — or with a tiny program — show that you understand: Array name as pointer.

Step-by-step explanation

1. Challenge 1 — In your own words — or with a tiny program — show that you understand: Difference between & and *.
2. Challenge 2 — In your own words — or with a tiny program — show that you understand: Pointer arithmetic on int*.
3. Challenge 3 — In your own words — or with a tiny program — show that you understand: NULL pointer value.
4. Challenge 4 — In your own words — or with a tiny program — show that you understand: Array name as pointer.

Execution workflow

Best practices

• Enable warnings: gcc -Wall -Wextra -std=c11 source.c -o app
• Give every variable a defined value before it is read.
• Stay inside array bounds — C will not stop you from over-running a buffer.

Common mistakes

• Reading uninitialized storage — behavior is undefined.
• Dismissing compiler warnings instead of fixing root causes.
• Ignoring NULL returns from malloc, fopen, and similar APIs.

Hands-on exercise

Practice problems:

• Build or explain: Difference between & and *
• Build or explain: Pointer arithmetic on int*
• Build or explain: NULL pointer value
• Build or explain: Array name as pointer

Summary

Quiz: Pointers in C — Self-check on &, *, and decay.