Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
A 2D array is a data structure that stores values in a grid-like format with rows and columns. It allows for efficient storage and retrieval of data elements.
Related terms
firstDimension: The first dimension of a 2D array refers to the number of rows it has. It determines the vertical size or height of the grid.
secondDimension: The second dimension of a 2D array refers to the number of columns it has. It determines the horizontal size or width of the grid.
element: An element is an individual value stored within a 2D array. Each cell in the grid contains one element, which can be accessed using its row and column indices.