Multidimensional Arrays

Data in a table or a matrix can be represented using a two-dimensional array.

The preceding chapter introduced how to use one-dimensional arrays to store linear collections of elements. You can use a two-dimensional array to store a matrix or a table. For example, the following table that lists the distances between cities can be stored using a twodimensional array named distances .

Two-Dimensional Array Basics

How do you declare a variable for two-dimensional arrays? How do you create a twodimensional

array? How do you access elements in a two-dimensional array? This section addresses these issues.

Declaring Variables of Two-Dimensional Arrays and Creating Two-Dimensional Arrays

The syntax for declaring a two-dimensional array is:

elementType[][] arrayRefVar;

or

elementType arrayRefVar[][]; // Allowed, but not preferred

As an example, here is how you would declare a two-dimensional array variable matrix

of int values:

int[][] matrix;

or

int matrix[][];

You can also use an array initializer to declare, create, and initialize a two-dimensional

array.