Returning arrays from functions (C++) - c++

Question

My program is supposed to take the names and 5 marks each for 10 students and output their corresponding average marks and grade. My functions avgmarks and avg_grade are supposed to calculate and return these, as arrays, to the main function. Using the statements return avg[10] and return gr[10] does not work. I know pointer variables can be used here, but i don't know how to implement them to make my program work correctly.
#include <iostream>
#include <string>
using namespace std;
void readnames(string p[]);
int readmarks(int p[10][5]);
int avgmarks(int p[10][5]);
char avg_grade(int p[10]);
void displayresults(string n[], int m[], char g[]);
int main()
{
string names[10];
readnames(names);
int marks [10][5];
readmarks(marks);
int avg_marks[10];
avg_marks[10]=avgmarks(marks);
char grade[10];
grade[10]=avg_grade(avg_marks);
displayresults(names, avg_marks, grade);
}
void readnames(string p[])
{
for (int i=0;i<10;i++)
{
cout<<"Enter student "<<i+1<<"'s name:\n";
cin>>p[i];
}
}
int readmarks(int p[10][5])
{
for (int i=0;i<10;i++)
{
cout<<"Enter student "<<i+1<<"'s marks:\n";
for (int j=0;j<5;j++)
{
cin>>p[i][j];
}
}
}
int avgmarks(int p[10][5])
{
int avg[10];
int sum;
for (int i=0;i<10;i++)
{
sum=0;
for (int j=0;j<5;j++)
{
sum=sum+p[i][j];
}
avg[i]=(sum/5);
}
return avg[10];
}
char avg_grade(int p[10])
{
char gr[10];
for (int i=0;i<10;i++)
{
if (p[i]>=90)
{
gr[i]='A';
}
if ((p[i]>=80)&&(p[i]<90))
{
gr[i]='B';
}
if ((p[i]>=70)&&(p[i]<80))
{
gr[i]='C';
}
if ((p[i]>=60)&&(p[i]<70))
{
gr[i]='D';
}
if ((p[i]>=50)&&(p[i]<60))
{
gr[i]='E';
}
if ((p[i]>=40)&&(p[i]<50))
{
gr[i]='F';
}
}
return gr[10];
}
void displayresults(string n[], int m[], char g[])
{
float ct;
float sum=0;
cout<<endl;
for (int i=0;i<10;i++)
{
cout<<"Name: "<<n[i]<<" Average Marks: "<<m[i]<<" Grade: "<<g[i];
cout<<endl;
}
for (int i=0;i<10;i++)
{
sum=sum+m[i];
}
ct=sum/10;
cout<<"The class average is "<<ct<<endl;
}

Answer 1

Arrays cannot be returned from functions. It's one good reason to use vectors instead of arrays (there are many more).
But if you want to carry on with arrays you should use pointers to simulate returning an array from your function.
In this example avg is a pointer to an array that will recieve the returned value
void avgmarks(int p[10][5], int* avg)
{
int sum;
for (int i=0;i<10;i++)
{
sum=0;
for (int j=0;j<5;j++)
{
sum=sum+p[i][j];
}
avg[i]=(sum/5);
}
}
You use it like this
int avg_marks[10];
avgmarks(marks, avg_marks);
PS. You seem to have the common (but to me bizarre) newbie misunderstanding that if you have an array of size 10 (say) then array[10] can be used to refer to the whole array. Please don't think that, if you have an array of size 10, then array[10] is just an error, because the valid indexes for an array of size 10 are 0 to 9.

Answer 2

This example changed every c-style array to std::array. Keep in mind, that it is the same code as yours with the arrays, so every programming error is still in there. And also arrays are returned by value, means that they are copied. Try to understand how to use std::array and you will get a better programmer.
#include <iostream>
#include <string>
#include <array>
using namespace std;
void readnames(std::array<string, 10>& p);
void readmarks(std::array<std::array<int,5>, 10>& p);
std::array<int,10> avgmarks(std::array<std::array<int,5>, 10>& p);
std::array<char,10> avg_grade(std::array<int,10>& p);
void displayresults(std::array<string, 10> n, std::array<int,10> m, std::array<char,10> g);
int main()
{
std::array<string, 10> names;
readnames(names);
std::array<std::array<int,5>, 10> marks;
readmarks(marks);
std::array<int,10> avg_marks;
avg_marks = avgmarks(marks);
std::array<char,10> grade;
grade = avg_grade(avg_marks);
displayresults(names, avg_marks, grade);
}
void readnames(std::array<string, 10>& p)
{
for (int i=0;i<10;i++)
{
cout<<"Enter student "<<i+1<<"'s name:\n";
cin>>p[i];
}
}
void readmarks(std::array<std::array<int,5>, 10>& p)
{
for (int i=0;i<10;i++)
{
cout<<"Enter student "<<i+1<<"'s marks:\n";
for (int j=0;j<5;j++)
{
cin>>p[i][j];
}
}
}
std::array<int,10> avgmarks(std::array<std::array<int,5>, 10>& p)
{
std::array<int,10> avg;
int sum;
for (int i=0;i<10;i++)
{
sum=0;
for (int j=0;j<5;j++)
{
sum=sum+p[i][j];
}
avg[i]=(sum/5);
}
return avg;
}
std::array<char,10> avg_grade(std::array<int,10>& p)
{
std::array<char,10> gr;
for (int i=0;i<10;i++)
{
if (p[i]>=90)
{
gr[i]='A';
}
if ((p[i]>=80)&&(p[i]<90))
{
gr[i]='B';
}
if ((p[i]>=70)&&(p[i]<80))
{
gr[i]='C';
}
if ((p[i]>=60)&&(p[i]<70))
{
gr[i]='D';
}
if ((p[i]>=50)&&(p[i]<60))
{
gr[i]='E';
}
if ((p[i]>=40)&&(p[i]<50))
{
gr[i]='F';
}
}
return gr;
}
void displayresults(std::array<string, 10> n, std::array<int,10> m, std::array<char,10> g)
{
float ct;
float sum=0;
cout<<endl;
for (int i=0;i<10;i++)
{
cout<<"Name: "<<n[i]<<" Average Marks: "<<m[i]<<" Grade: "<<g[i];
cout<<endl;
}
for (int i=0;i<10;i++)
{
sum=sum+m[i];
}
ct=sum/10;
cout<<"The class average is "<<ct<<endl;
}

Answer 3

I think this will work:
#include <iostream>
#include <string>
using namespace std;
void readnames(string p[]);
void readmarks(int p[10][5]);
int* avgmarks(int p[10][5]);
char* avg_grade(int p[10]);
void displayresults(string n[], int m[], char g[]);
int main()
{
string names[10];
readnames(names);
int marks [10][5];
readmarks(marks);
int *avg_marks;
avg_marks=avgmarks(marks);
char *grade;
grade=avg_grade(avg_marks);
displayresults(names, avg_marks, grade);
}
void readnames(string p[])
{
for (int i=0;i<10;i++)
{
cout<<"Enter student "<<i+1<<"'s name:\n";
cin>>p[i];
}
}
void readmarks(int p[10][5])
{
for (int i=0;i<10;i++)
{
cout<<"Enter student "<<i+1<<"'s marks:\n";
for (int j=0;j<5;j++)
{
cin>>p[i][j];
}
}
}
int* avgmarks(int p[10][5])
{
static int avg[10];
int sum;
for (int i=0;i<10;i++)
{
sum=0;
for (int j=0;j<5;j++)
{
sum=sum+p[i][j];
}
avg[i]=(sum/5);
}
return avg;
}
char* avg_grade(int *p)
{
static char gr[10];
for (int i=0;i<10;i++)
{
if (p[i]>=90)
{
gr[i]='A';
}
if ((p[i]>=80)&&(p[i]<90))
{
gr[i]='B';
}
if ((p[i]>=70)&&(p[i]<80))
{
gr[i]='C';
}
if ((p[i]>=60)&&(p[i]<70))
{
gr[i]='D';
}
if ((p[i]>=50)&&(p[i]<60))
{
gr[i]='E';
}
if ((p[i]>=40)&&(p[i]<50))
{
gr[i]='F';
}
}
return gr;
}
void displayresults(string n[], int m[], char g[])
{
float ct;
float sum=0;
cout<<endl;
for (int i=0;i<10;i++)
{
cout<<"Name: "<<n[i]<<" Average Marks: "<<m[i]<<" Grade: "<<g[i];
cout<<endl;
}
for (int i=0;i<10;i++)
{
sum=sum+m[i];
}
ct=sum/10;
cout<<"The class average is "<<ct<<endl;
}
Basically, to return an array from a function in C/C++, you declare it as "static", and you make the function return the pointer.
EDIT: As many others have noted, this won't work in multi-threaded programs.