Every computer programming language I know of uses the concept of an array. Python, if I recall correctly, uses the term list<\/em>. Although a given computer language has its own flavour of it, the array is useful to preview from a generic point of view.<\/p>\n Here’s an example of an array: (“eggs”,”bread”,”milk”,”butter”,”jam”). This array contains five pieces of information. You could also say it contains five items. However, computer science people would commonly say it contains five values<\/em>. Note that a value doesn’t have to be a number; it can also be a noun.<\/p>\n One curiosity of arrays is that they start at 0: in the array above, element 0 is “eggs”. Element 1 is “bread”. Therefore, “jam” is element 4, even though it’s in the fifth position.<\/p>\n Perl has functions that remove or add values to an array, give its length, etc. In Perl, the array above might be defined as follows:<\/p>\n @groceries=(“eggs”,”bread”,”milk”,”butter”,”jam”);<\/span><\/p>\n The @ symbol means it’s an array. $groceries[0] is the zeroth element of @groceries, so $groceries[0] is “eggs”. $groceries[3] is “butter”.<\/p>\n For more about arrays, as well as programming in general, please return soon. Hope you’re enjoying the season, wherever you are. Here, the heat wave continues:)<\/p>\n