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Introduction to data types

Overview of data type concepts you'll master in this chapter.

Data Types
Chapter
Beginner
Difficulty
25min
Estimated Time

What to Expect

Comprehensive explanations with practical examples

Interactive coding exercises to practice concepts

Knowledge quiz to test your understanding

Step-by-step guidance for beginners

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Data Types - Terminology Reference

This lesson provides a comprehensive reference of all the key data type terminology you'll encounter throughout this chapter. Think of it as your data type vocabulary guide - these are the essential terms every C++ programmer needs to know when working with different kinds of data in their programs.

Complete Terminology Guide

Fundamental Data Types

Term Definition Example Range/Size
int Data type for storing whole numbers (integers) int age = 25; -2,147,483,648 to 2,147,483,647
double Data type for high-precision floating-point numbers double pi = 3.14159; ~15-17 digits precision
float Data type for single-precision floating-point numbers float temp = 98.6f; ~6-7 digits precision
char Data type for single characters char grade = 'A'; 1 byte, -128 to 127
bool Data type for true/false values bool isReady = true; 1 byte
void Type representing "no data" or "no return value" void printMessage() No storage

Integer Types

Term Definition Size Range
short Short integer type, smaller than regular int Usually 2 bytes -32,768 to 32,767
long Long integer type, same size or larger than regular int Usually 4-8 bytes Platform dependent
long long Extra long integer type, guaranteed to be at least 8 bytes At least 8 bytes Very large range
signed Integer types that can represent negative numbers Default for int Includes negative values
unsigned Integer types that can only represent non-negative numbers unsigned int 0 to larger positive range
size_t Unsigned integer type for representing sizes and counts size_t length; Always non-negative

Floating-Point Types

Term Definition Example Precision
Floating-point General term for numbers with decimal points 3.14, 0.5, -2.7 Variable
Single precision float type with limited decimal accuracy float f = 1.23f; ~7 digits
Double precision double type with higher decimal accuracy double d = 1.23; ~15-17 digits
Scientific notation Way of expressing very large or small numbers 1.23e+10, 5.67e-5 Powers of 10
Mantissa The significant digits part of a floating-point number 1.23 in 1.23e+10 Precision digits
Exponent The power of 10 part in scientific notation +10 in 1.23e+10 Scale factor

Type Properties

Term Definition Example Usage
sizeof operator Returns the size in bytes of a data type or variable sizeof(int) Memory planning
Type size Number of bytes a data type occupies in memory int is usually 4 bytes Memory allocation
Value range The minimum and maximum values a data type can represent int: -2B to +2B Choosing right type
Precision Number of significant digits a floating-point type can accurately store double: ~15 digits Decimal calculations
Overflow When a value becomes too large for its data type to represent int beyond 2 billion Runtime error
Underflow When a floating-point value becomes too small to represent Very tiny decimal numbers Becomes zero

Type Conversion

Term Definition Example Safety Level
Type conversion Changing a value from one data type to another int to double Various
Implicit conversion Automatic type conversion performed by the compiler double d = 5; Can be unsafe
Explicit conversion Programmer-requested conversion using casting operators int i = (int)3.14; Programmer control
static_cast Safer C++ casting operator for explicit conversions static_cast<int>(3.14) Safer explicit
Widening conversion Converting to a type that can hold all values of the original type int to double Safe
Narrowing conversion Converting to a type that cannot hold all values of original type double to int Can lose data
Promotion Automatic conversion of smaller types to larger ones in expressions char to int in arithmetic Usually safe

Literals

Term Definition Example Type Assigned
Literal A fixed value written directly in source code 42, 3.14, 'A' Various
Integer literal Whole number written directly in code 123, -45, 0 int
Floating-point literal Decimal number written directly in code 3.14, 2.0, 1.5f double or float
Character literal Single character enclosed in single quotes 'A', '7', '\n' char
String literal Text enclosed in double quotes "Hello World" const char[]
Boolean literal True or false values true, false bool
Literal suffix Letters added to literals to specify their type 3.14f, 123L, 456UL Forces type

Special Values

Term Definition Example Data Type
true/false Boolean literal values bool flag = true; bool
Null character Special character with value 0, marks end of strings '\0' char
Escape sequence Special character combinations starting with backslash '\n', '\t', '\' char
Infinity Special floating-point value representing mathematical infinity Result of 1.0/0.0 float/double
NaN "Not a Number" - invalid floating-point calculation result Result of 0.0/0.0 float/double
Null pointer Special value indicating a pointer doesn't point to valid memory Advanced concept pointer types

Type Checking & Safety

Term Definition Example Purpose
Type safety Language features that prevent type-related errors Compile-time type checking Error prevention
Type mismatch Error when trying to use a value as the wrong type Assigning string to int Compilation error
Strong typing System where types are strictly enforced C++ type system Catches errors early
Type deduction Compiler determining variable type from its initial value auto x = 5; Convenience
auto keyword Lets compiler automatically determine variable type auto pi = 3.14159; Type deduction

Memory & Storage

Term Definition Example Usage
Memory footprint Amount of memory a data type or variable uses int uses 4 bytes Resource planning
Storage class How and where variables are stored in memory automatic, static Advanced concept
Alignment Memory arrangement requirements for efficient access Variables on boundaries Performance
Padding Extra bytes added between variables for alignment Gaps in memory layout Compiler optimization
Byte Basic unit of computer memory, contains 8 bits 1 byte = 8 bits Memory measurement
Word Natural data size for a processor architecture Usually 4 or 8 bytes System dependent

Arithmetic Behavior

Term Definition Example Result Type
Integer division Division between integers that discards fractional part 7 / 3 equals 2 int
Floating division Division that preserves decimal places 7.0 / 3.0 equals 2.33... double
Modulus operation Remainder after integer division 7 % 3 equals 1 int
Mixed arithmetic Operations involving different numeric types int + double Promotion rules
Arithmetic promotion Automatic conversion in expressions to common type char promoted to int Larger type
Truncation Loss of decimal digits when converting to integer 3.7 becomes 3 Data loss

Boolean Operations

Term Definition Example Result
Boolean algebra Mathematical system for true/false logic true AND false = false bool
Logical operators Operators that work with boolean values &&, ||, ! bool
Comparison result Boolean value produced by comparison operations 5 > 3 is true bool
Short-circuit evaluation Stopping evaluation early when result is known false && anything Optimization
Boolean context Places where values are treated as true or false if statements, while loops Control flow

Character Encoding

Term Definition Example Standard
ASCII American Standard Code for Information Interchange 'A' = 65 7-bit encoding
Character code Numeric value representing a character 'A' has code 65 Various systems
Printable character Characters that display visible symbols Letters, digits, punctuation Readable output
Control character Non-printing characters for formatting or control '\n', '\t' Special functions
Unicode International character encoding standard Supports all languages Modern standard

How to Use This Reference

  1. Before choosing types - Review size and range information to select appropriate types
  2. During coding - Look up conversion rules and literal syntax
  3. When debugging - Understand type-related error messages and overflow issues
  4. For optimization - Consider memory footprint and performance implications
  5. Before assessments - Study type properties and conversion rules

Study Tips

💡 Mastering Data Type Terminology
• Practice with different types - Experiment with various data types in small programs
• Learn size relationships - Understand how types compare in size and capability
• Study conversion rules - Know when and how types convert automatically
• Memorize key ranges - Know common type limits for practical programming

Ready for Data Types?

Now that you have the complete data types terminology reference, you're prepared to understand how C++ stores and manipulates different kinds of information.

🎯 Next Step
Begin with "Introduction to fundamental data types" to start learning about the building blocks of data storage in C++. Use this reference whenever you encounter unfamiliar data type concepts!

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