C Data Types
by: Mrs Evangeline H. Garcia
DATA TYPES
• In C programming, data types are declarations for
variables.
• This determines the type and size of data associated with
variables. For example,
int myVar;
Here, myVar is a variable of int (integer) type.
The size of int is 4 bytes.
BASIC DATA TYPES
Format
Data Type Stores - Size (bytes)
Specifier
short an integer - 2 – 4 bytes %hd
int an integer – 4 bytes %d, %i
real numbers, with 7 digit of precision-
float 4 bytes %f
real numbers, with 15 digit of precision-
double 8 bytes %lf, %2f
char one character – 1 byte %c
string zero or more character – 1 byte per character %c %s
bool boolean value (either true or false) – 1 byte %c
BASIC DATA TYPES
Type Size (bytes) Format Specifier
long long int at least 8 %lld, %lli
unsigned long int at least 4 %lu
unsigned long long int at least 8 %llu
signed char 1 %c
unsigned char 1 %c
long double at least 10, usually 12 or 16 %Lf
int
• Integers are whole numbers that can have both zero, positive
and negative values but no decimal values. For example, 0, -5,
10
• We can use int for declaring an integer variable.
int id;
Here, id is a variable of type integer.
The size of int is usually 4 bytes (32 bits).
And, it can take 232 distinct states
float and double
• float and double are used to hold real numbers.
float salary;
double price;
• In C, floating-point numbers can also be represented in
exponential. For example,
float normalizationFactor = 22.442e2;
What's the difference between
float and double?
• The size of float (single precision float data type) is 4
bytes. And the size of double (double precision float
data type) is 8 bytes.
;
char
• keyword char is used for declaring character type
variables. For example,
char test = 'h';
• The size of the character variable is 1 byte.
;
void
• void is an incomplete type. It means "nothing"
or "no type". You can think of void as absent.
• For example, if a function is not returning
anything, its return type should be void.
• Note that, you cannot create variables of void
type.
short and long
• If you need to use a large number, you can use a type specifier long.
Here's how:
long a;
long long b;
long double c;
• Here variables a and b can store integer values. And, c can store a
floating-point number.
• If you are sure, only a small integer ([−32,767, +32,767] range) will be
used, you can use short.
short d;
#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
short a;
long b;
long long c;
long double d;
printf("size of short = %d bytes\n", sizeof(a));
printf("size of long = %d bytes\n", sizeof(b));
printf("size of long long = %d bytes\n", sizeof(c));
printf("size of long double= %d bytes\n", sizeof(d));
return 0;
}
signed and unsigned
• In C, signed and unsigned are type modifiers.
You can alter the data storage of a data type by
using them:
• signed - allows for storage of both positive and
negative numbers
• unsigned - allows for storage of only positive
numbers. For example,
signed and unsigned
• Here, the variables x and num can hold only
zero and positive values because we have used
the unsigned modifier.
• Considering the size of int is 4 bytes, variable
y can hold values from -231 to 231-1, whereas
variable x can hold values from 0 to 232-1.
/ valid codes
unsigned int x = 35;
int y = -35; // signed int
int z = 36; // signed int
// invalid code: unsigned int cannot hold negative
integers
unsigned int num = -35;
Derived Data Types
• Data types that are derived from fundamental data types are
derived types.
For example:
arrays, pointers, function types, structures, etc.
• We will learn about these derived data types in later tutorials.
• bool type
• Enumerated type
• Complex types
