Dynamic Memory Allocation

Unlike higher level program languages ( Like Python ), C does not normally allow you to change the size of a data structure (e.g. an array) after it has been defined

• Dynamic Memory Allocation allows you to avoid memory waste by allocating exactly the memory required

int *vector = (int *) malloc (sizeof(int)*array_size)

• Malloc ( $k$ ): allocate $\text{at least}$ '$k$' bytes of memory
• $k$: {C}'sizeof (int) * array_size' is the size of the array in bytes
• Malloc returns a void type pointer
  • {C}'(int *)' typecasts this to {C}'int'