Array Operations

Access · Insert · Delete · Grow

1:00

How arrays use contiguous memory to deliver O(1) access, why insertion and deletion cost O(n) due to shifting, and how dynamic doubling keeps appends amortized O(1).

By the end, you can

Explain why contiguous memory enables O(1) array access.
Compute the memory address of any array element given a base address and element size.
State why arrays use zero-based indexing and identify the last valid index for an array of length n.
Trace the steps of an insertion or deletion and count how many elements shift.
Explain why insert and delete at the front or middle cost O(n).
Describe how dynamic array doubling works and why it yields amortized O(1) appends.
Classify `push`, `pop`, and `splice` by their Big-O cost.
Identify and explain the three classic array pitfalls: out-of-bounds, off-by-one, and negative indexing.

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