Double-Subscripted /

Two-Dimensional (2D)
Array

Prepared by: Dr. Cheryl B. Pantaleon

DC111 Data Structures
 What is a 2D Array?
• The two dimensional or double-subscripted array can be represented
as a table with rows and columns. In other words, a double-subscripted
array is used when data is represented using a table.
• It requires two subscripts to identify a particular element. By convention,
the first subscript identifies the element’s row and the second identifies
the element’s column.

Prepared by: Dr. Cheryl B. Pantaleon

DC111 Data Structures
 Declaration
• Syntax:
datatype[][] arrayName;
datatype[][] arrayName = new dataType[rowSize][columnSize];
• Example:
int[][] table = new int[3][4];
• Illustration:

Prepared by: Dr. Cheryl B. Pantaleon

DC111 Data Structures
 Initializing a 2D Array: Another Way
• Example:

int[][] table = {{1,2,3,4},{5,6,7,8},{9,10,11,12}};

Prepared by: Dr. Cheryl B. Pantaleon

DC111 Data Structures
 Accessing Elements of a 2D Array
1. By the individual elements
Example:
table[2][1] = 6;
System.out.println(table[2][1]);
2. Using a nested-loop
Example:
for(int i=0;i<3;i++){
for(int j=0;j<4;j++)
System.out.print(table[i][j] + " ");
System.out.println();
}
• By convention, in accessing elements in a 2D array, nested-loop is used. The outer
loop is the row counter while the inner loop is the column counter.
Prepared by: Dr. Cheryl B. Pantaleon
DC111 Data Structures
 Important Note
• A two-dimensional array in Java is simply an array of a one-
dimensional array.

Prepared by: Dr. Cheryl B. Pantaleon

DC111 Data Structures