What is an array?

An array is defined as a fixed-size sequence of elements of the same type. This means that when you create an array, you must specify its size, and all the elements stored in that array must be of the same data type. For example, you can create an array of integers, where each position in the array holds an integer value, or an array of strings, where each entry contains a string.

The fixed size is crucial because it allows the system to allocate a contiguous block of memory for the array elements, which makes it efficient for accessing elements by their index. Each element can be accessed directly using its index, which is particularly useful for algorithms that require direct access to data elements.

In contrast, other options mention characteristics that do not accurately describe arrays. For example, a collection of different data types is more characteristic of a data structure like a list or a dictionary. A dynamic data structure refers to structures that can grow or shrink in size, such as linked lists or dynamic arrays, which differ from the fixed-size nature of arrays. Lastly, accessing data sequentially suggests traversing through elements in a specific order—though this can be done with arrays, it does not define the structure itself as arrays allow for indexed access, making them