C Programming II with Linux - Practice MCQs

Module 3 PART 1 ( Pointers and Structures)

Prof. Manjunath

1
Which operator is used to access members of a structure using a pointer?

A) .

B) ->

C) &

D) *

Answer: B

2
What is the correct way to declare a pointer to a structure in C?
A) struct Student *ptr;
B) struct *Student ptr;
C) Student struct *ptr;
D) *struct Student ptr;

Answer: A

3
What does the following code print?
struct student { char s_name[20],

int s_id };

struct student s1 = {“Naveen”,25};

struct student *ptr = &s1;

 printf("%d", ptr->s_id);

A) Error​
B) 0​
C) Address of x​
D) 25

Answer: D

4
What does the -> operator actually do in the context of structures
and pointers?
A) Multiplies structure member​
B) Dereferences a pointer and accesses the member​
C) Allocates memory​
D) Passes structure by value

Answer: B

5
Which statement correctly assigns a value to a structure member
using a pointer?
A) *ptr.x = 5;

B) ptr->x = 5;

C) ptr.x = 5;

D) (*ptr)->x = 5;

Answer: B

6
Given the following structure, how would you access the ID
member of Emp using a pointer?

struct Emp {
 char name[25];
int ID;
};
struct Emp E1;
struct Emp *ptr;

A) ptr->ID;
B) ptr.ID;
C) E1->ID;
D) ptr[0].ID;
Answer: A) ptr->ID;

7
What is the primary advantage of passing large structures by
reference?

A) Better syntax​
B) Less memory usage​
C) More readable code​
D) Makes no difference

Answer: B) Less memory usage

Prof. Pradeep

1 What does the following code print?

 A. 0​
B. Compilation Error​
C. 5​
D. Garbage value

Answer: C

2
Which of the following statements is true about structure pointers?

A. (*ptr).member is equivalent to ptr.member​

B. ptr->member is invalid in C​
C. ptr->member is equivalent to (*ptr).member​
D. Pointers to structures cannot be passed to functions

Answer: C

3 What is the output of the following code?

 A. 1​
B. 2​
C. Garbage Value​
D. Compilation Error

Answer: B

4 What is wrong with the following code snippet?

 A. Nothing​
B. s is not initialized before use​
C. id is not a member of the structure​
D. Wrong use of pointer syntax

Answer: B

5 What will this program print?

A. 0​
B. 42​
C. Garbage​
D. Error

Answer: B

Prof. Gourish

1 struct point { int x; int y; };

 struct point p = {10, 20};
struct point *ptr = &p;

What is the correct way to access x using ptr?

A. ptr->x​
B. (*ptr).x​
C. *ptr.x​
D. Both A and B

Solution:

Answer: D​
Both ptr->x and (*ptr).x correctly access x.​
ptr->x is shorthand for (*ptr).x.​
Option C (*ptr.x) is invalid syntax.

2
What will be the output of the following code?

struct data { int value; };

void display(struct data d) {
printf("%d", d.value);
}
int main() {
struct data d1 = {50};
display(d1);
return 0;
}

A. 50​
B. Garbage value​
C. Compilation error​
D. Address of value

Solution:

Answer: A​
The structure d1 is passed by value to the function display().​
 So, it prints 50.

3
Consider this function:

struct point { int x; int y; };

void update(struct point *p) {
p->x = 5;
p->y = 15;
}

Which of the following correctly calls the function?

A. update(p);​
B. update(&p);​
C. update(&p1); where struct point p1; is declared​
D. update(*p);

Solution:

Answer: C​
The function expects a pointer to a structure, so update(&p1) is correct.​
Option A and D are invalid (wrong type).​
Option B assumes p is a structure, but we need explicit declaration of p1.

4
Which of the following modifies the actual structure values in the caller?

struct sample { int a; int b; };

void func1(struct sample s);

void func2(struct sample *s);

A. func1() — Call by value​

B. func2() — Call by reference (pointer)​
C. Both​
D. Neither

Solution:
 Answer: B​
func2(struct sample *s) allows modifying actual structure values (call by
reference).​
func1(struct sample s) passes by value, so changes won’t affect the caller.

5
What will be the output of this program?

struct sample { int a; };

void modify(struct sample *s) {
s->a = s->a + 10;
}
int main() {
struct sample s1 = {20};
modify(&s1);
printf("%d", s1.a);
return 0;
}

A. 20​
B. 30​
C. Compilation error​
D. Garbage value

Solution:

Answer: B​
modify(&s1) passes address of s1.​
Inside modify(), s->a = 20 + 10 = 30.​
Hence, output is 30.

6
Consider:

struct rect { int length; int breadth; };

void area(struct rect r) {
printf("%d", r.length * r.breadth);
}
 int main() {
struct rect r1 = {4, 5};
area(r1);
return 0;
}

What will be the output?

A. 20​
B. 9​
C. Compilation error​
D. Garbage value

Solution:

Answer: A​
area(r1) passes structure by value.​
r.length * r.breadth = 4 * 5 = 20.​
Output is 20.

Prof. Pratik

1
What is the correct way to access members of structure ‘point’ using a pointer.
struct point {
int x;
int y;
}
struct point *pp;
A. *(pp->x)
B. (*pp).x
C. pp.*(x)
D. pp.x
 Solution: B. Here pp is a pointer to a structure of type ‘struct point’, and ‘x’ and
‘y’ are members of it. To access members using pointers either use pp->x or
(*pp).x

2
Which set of statements can be used to initialize pp and print x coordinate of
points[1].

struct point points[2], *pp;

A. pp = points; and printf(“x: %d”,pp.points);

B. pp->points; and printf(“x: %d”,pp.x);
C. pp = &points[0]; and printf(“x: %d”,(pp+1)->x);
D. pp = points; and printf(“x: %d”,(*pp).x);

Solution: C. Initialize pp using pp=&points[0] or pp=points. Then to access x

coordinate of points[1], use printf(“x: %d”,(pp+1)->x)

3
Which is the correct way of initializing member ‘author’ of structure book.

struct book
{
char title[50];
char author[20];
char publisher[20];
int pubyr;
};
 struct book book1, *bp = &book1;

A. struct book book1 = {“KN KING”};

B. book1.author = “KN KING”;
C. strcpy(book1-> author = “KN KING”);
D. strcpy(bp->author, “KN KING”);

Solution: D. bp is a pointer to book1 and author is a char array.

4
What will be the output of the following?

int main(){
struct book book1 = {.pubyr=1988};
modify_reference(book1);
printf(“%d”, book1.pubyr);
}
void modify_reference(struct book book1){
book1.pubyr = 1989;
}

A. 1988
B. 1989
C. Compilation error
D. Prints 1989 followed by 1988

Solution: A. book1 is passed by value. Inside modify_reference, a copy of pubyr

is being initialized to 1989, the original member value remains the same.
5
What should the prototype of function print_reference be?
intt main(){
struct book book1 = {“The C Prog Lang”, “Kernighan Ritchie”, “Prentice
Hall”, 1988};
print_reference(&book1);
}

A. print_reference(struct book);
B. print_reference(struct book1);
C. print_reference(struct book *);
D. print_reference(struct book->book1);

Solution: C. From the function call it is evident that print_reference expects a

pointer to structure of type struct book

Prof. Sowmya.B

1
What does the -> operator do in C?

a) Access value through pointer​

b) Access structure member using pointer​
c) Assign value to pointer​
d) Dereference pointer

Answer: (b)
2 What is the output of the following code?

struct Point {
int x, y;
};
struct Point p = {10, 20};
struct Point *ptr = &p;
printf("%d", ptr->x);
a) Address of x
b) 10
c) 20
d) error

Answer: (b)

3
Which of the following is the correct way to initialize a pointer to a structure in C?

a) ptr = &s;

b) ptr = s;

c) ptr = *s;

d) ptr = &s.member;

Answer: (a)

4 Which of the following is the correct syntax to define a function that accepts a
structure by pointer in C?

a)void function(structName *ptr);

b) void function(structName ptr);

c) void function(&structName);

d) void function(structName &ptr);

Answer:(a)
5
What is the output of the following code?

struct point {

int x;

int y; };

struct point p1 = {2, 3};

struct point *ptr = &p1;

printf("%d %d", ptr->x, ptr->y);

a) 2 3

b) 3 2

c) 2 2

d) 3 3

Answer: (a)

6 What is the output of the following C code?

#include <stdio.h>
struct student {
char *name;
int age;
};

int main() {
struct student s = {"John", 20};
struct student *ptr = &s;
printf("%s is %d years old.", ptr->name, ptr->age);
return 0;
}
 a) Compile-time error

b) John is 20 years old.

c) Garbage value

d) Segmentation fault

Answer:(b)

Prof. Padmaja

1 Question: What is the purpose of the & (address-of) operator in C?

●​ a): It returns the value stored at a memory address.
●​ b): It returns the memory address of a variable.
●​ c): It dereferences a pointer to access the value.
●​ d): It declares a pointer variable.

2 Which of the following is the correct way to access the age member of a structure using
a pointer?

A) (*ptr).age​
B) ptr->age​
C) Both A and B​
D) ptr.age

Answer: C) Both A and B

3
Which operator is used to access structure members using a pointer to the
 structure?

A) .​
B) *​
C) ->​
D) &

Answer: C) ->

4
What will happen if you forget to allocate memory to a pointer before accessing
members of the structure it points to?

A) It will work fine​

B) Compile-time error​
C) Run-time error (Segmentation fault)​
D) The program will print garbage values

Answer: C) Run-time error (Segmentation fault)

5
What is the correct way to declare a pointer to a structure?

A) struct Student *ptr;​

B) Student ptr;​
C) *struct Student ptr;​
D) Student -> ptr;

Answer: A) struct Student *ptr;

6 What does this code do?

A) Shows error​
B) Prints 0​
C) Prints 100​
D) Prints address

Answer: C) Prints 100

Prof. Chandrika

1 What is a structure pointer in C?

A. A pointer that points to a function returning a structure​
B. A pointer that stores the address of a structure variable​
C. A pointer that stores the size of a structure​
D. A pointer that points to an array of structures
Answer:B) A pointer that stores the address of a structure variable
Explanation:A structure pointer is a pointer variable that holds the address of a structure
variable, allowing indirect access to its members.

2 What is the output of the following program?

#include <stdio.h>
struct Point {
int x;
int y;
};
 int main() {
struct Point p = {10, 20};
struct Point *ptr = &p;
printf("%d %d", ptr->x, ptr->y);
return 0;
}
A) 10 20​
B) 0 0​
C) Compilation Error​
D) Garbage Values
Answer: A) 10 20​
Explanation: The pointer ptr points to the structure p, and using ptr->x and ptr->y accesses the
respective members, printing their values

2 Consider the below code snippet

struct Student {
int id;
char name[50];
};

struct Student s = {101, "Dennis"};

struct Student *ptr = &s;

Which of the following correctly accesses the id member in the above code?
A)ptr.id
B) *ptr.id
C)ptr->id
D) (*ptr)->id
Answer:C) ptr->id
Explanation: When using a pointer to a structure, the -> operator is used to access its members.
So, ptr->id correctly accesses the id member of the structure pointed to by ptr.

3 Which of the following accesses the id of the second element?

A) ptr[1].id
B) (*ptr[1]).id
C) (*(ptr + 1)).id
D) ptr->id + 1
Answer:C) (*(ptr + 1)).id
Explanation: ptr + 1 points to the second element of the array. Dereferencing it gives access to
the structure, and then using .id accesses the id member.

4 Which of the following is the correct way to declare a function that modifies a structure passed
by reference?
 A) void modify(struct Point p);​
B)void modify(struct Point *p);​
C)void modify(struct Point &p);​
D)void modify(Point p);
Answer: B)void modify(struct Point *p);
Explanation: Passing by reference is achieved by passing a pointer to the structure.

5 What is the output of this program?

#include <stdio.h>
struct Point
{
int x;
int y;
};

int main() {
struct Point pt = {1, 2};
modify(pt);
printf("x = %d, y = %d\n", pt.x, pt.y);
return 0;
}

void modify(struct Point p)

{
p.x = 10;
p.y = 20;
}

A) x = 10, y = 20​
B) x = 1, y = 2​
C)x = 0, y = 0​
D) Compilation error
Answer:B) x = 1, y = 2
Explanation:When a structure is passed by value, a copy is made. Modifications inside the
function do not affect the original structure.

6 What will the below code print?

#include <stdio.h>
struct Point {
int x;
int y;
};

int main() {
struct Point pt = {5, 15};
 printf("Before update: x = %d, y = %d\n", pt.x, pt.y);

updatePoint(&pt); // Pass the address of the structure to the function

printf("After update: x = %d, y = %d\n", pt.x, pt.y);

return 0;
}

void updatePoint(struct Point *p) // Function to modify the coordinates of the point
{
p->x += 10;
p->y += 20;
}
A)Before update: x = 5, y = 15 After update: x = 15, y = 35
B)Before update: x = 5, y = 15 After update: x = 10, y = 20
C)Before update: x = 5, y = 15 After update: x = 5, y = 15
D)Before update: x = 5, y = 15 After update: x = 6, y = 16

Answer:A)Before update: x = 5, y = 15 After update: x = 15, y = 35

Explanation:Structure Definition: A struct Point is defined to represent a point in 2D space
with x and y coordinates.​

Function updatePoint: This function accepts a pointer to a struct Point. By using the arrow
operator (->), it directly modifies the x and y members of the original structure.​

Passing by Reference: In the main function, the address of pt is passed to updatePoint using the
address-of operator (&). This allows the function to modify the original pt structure.
“ All The Best!!”