Question

Which of the following is primitive data type in C ?

• A. long int
• B. struct
• C. union
• D. enum

Hint:

Primitive = Built-in (int, float, char). User-defined = You build them (struct, union, enum).

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Concept:
• Data types in C are categorized into:
• Primitive/Primary/Basic types: Built-in types that represent single values (e.g., int, char, float, double).
• Derived types: Types derived from primitives (e.g., arrays, pointers).
• User-Defined/Constructed types: Types created by the programmer (e.g., struct, union, enum).

Step 1: Analyze the fundamental types in C
Primitive types are the atomic building blocks of the language. "int" is a primitive type. "long" is a type modifier that, when applied to "int", creates "long int". In C, the set of integer types (including short, long, signed, unsigned variations) are considered primary or primitive data types because they are supported directly by the hardware and the compiler's basic logic.

Step 2: Evaluate User-defined types

• struct (Option B): A structure is a container that holds variables of different types. It is defined by the user.
• union (Option C): Similar to a struct but all members share the same memory location. Defined by the user.
• enum (Option D): An enumeration is a user-defined type consisting of a set of named integer constants.

Step 3: Conclusion
Since "long int" is a built-in numeric type provided by the C standard to handle larger integer values, it is the only primitive type among the choices.