Accessing elements refers to retrieving or obtaining values stored in specific positions within a data structure, such as arrays, LinkedLists, or ArrayLists.
Imagine your favorite music playlist (data structure) where each song (element) has its own position number. When you want to listen to a particular song, you access it by selecting its position number and playing it.
Indexing: The process of associating an index with each element in a data structure for efficient retrieval.
Random Access: The ability to directly retrieve any element from a data structure using its index or key without having to traverse the entire structure.
Sequential Access: The process of accessing elements one after another in a linear manner, typically used in LinkedLists.
Study guides for the entire semester
200k practice questions
Glossary of 50k key terms - memorize important vocab
© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.
AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.