Data Structures

Data structures refer to a way of organizing related pieces of information and storing them in files so that they may be retrieved and used efficiently. They also provide manageability for large amounts of data, such as databases or internet indexing services.  There are many different kinds of data structures and they each suit specific needs. 

An array is a type of data structure that stores many elements in a specific order, each identified by at least one array index or key. They are stored in a way such that the position of each element can be computed from its index tuple by a mathematical formula.Arrays can be expandable or may be a set length. They are among the oldest and most important data structures, being used in almost every program. They are even used to implement other data structures such as lists or strings.

A record is another type of data structure. They form a necessary base  Also, called structs or tuples, a record is a value that contains other values. They are typically indexed by names and are usually fixed numbered and sequenced, distinguishing them from arrays. Records can exists in any storage medium. Many files are usually grouped as arrays and then grouped into larger records.

A set is yet another type of data structure which is abstract. Abstract in this context, means an aggregate, or a collection of data. It can store specific values, without order and with no repeated values. Some sets are static while others are dynamic. Static, or frozen, sets do not change after the construction. Dynamic, or mutable, sets allow for insertion or deletion of elements in the set after construction.