Assessment Tool

Lecture 14:  Arrays

Content Tested:  Arrays Vs. Simple Variables

Lecture Content:

Goals:

Assessment Technique:  Memory Matrix

Purpose:

To allow instructors to find out if students understand the similarities and differences between an array of integers and an integer variable.
 

Activity:


Fill out the following matrix.  This matrix lists some conjectures and it's your job to decide if these hold under two conditions.  The first condition is that of an integer variable and the second is that of an array of integers.  Please complete the table with true and false labels.
 
 
Conjecture Integer variable (named rainfall) An array of integers (named rainfall)
Holds data    
Holds multiple values simultaneously    
Can use = to assign to another variable    
When used as a parameter, it is passed using the call by value convention    
rainfall[0] is syntactically valid    
Can compare to another variable using ==    
rainfall = {1,2,3,4,5} is legal    


After students complete their tables, have them compare their answers with their peers.  Make sure that you go over the correct answers and explain any confusion about the terms.
 

Solution:

 
Conjecture Integer variable (named rainfall) An array of integers (named rainfall)
Holds data True True 
Holds multiple values simultaneously False  True 
Can use = to assign to another variable True  False 
When used as a parameter, it is passed using the call by value convention True  False 
rainfall[0] is syntactically valid False  True 
Can compare to another variable using == True  False 
rainfall = {1,2,3,4,5} is legal False  False (this is tricky since this isn't a declaration of the array; this is not valid notation in an assignment statement) 

 

Possible Uses of Activity: