8.7 Example 8.24, which considered the layout of a two-dimensional array of char

Question

8.7 Example 8.24, which considered the layout of a two-dimensional array of characters, counted only the space devoted to characters and pointers. This is appropriate if the space is allocated statically, as a global array of days or keywords known at compile time. Supposed instead that space is allocated in the heap, with 4 or 8 bytes of overhead for each contiguous block of storage. How does this change the tradeoffs in space efficiency? Example 8.24 char days [] [10] { char days "Sunday", "Monday", "Tuesday", "Wednesday", "Thursday" "Friday", "Saturday" "Sunday", "Monday", "Tuesday", "Wednesday", "Thursday" "Friday", "Saturday" J; days [2] [3]'s' /* in Tuesday/ days [2] [3]'s'; /* in Tuesday/ Sa tur day

Explanation / Answer

Heap follows dynamic memory allocation unlike arrays. So there is no enforced pattern of allocation of blocks in case of heap. We can allocate a block anytime we need and free it anytime its usage is over. Hence memory wastage is avoided as heap uses that much memory only as much the data content in it needs.

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