What is the term for an integer value that indicates a data item's position in an array?

The term for an integer value that indicates a data item's position in an array is referred to as "index." In programming, an index provides a way to access specific elements within an array based on their position, which typically starts from zero in many programming languages. This positional representation is crucial as it helps in efficiently locating and manipulating the stored data, allowing operations like retrieval, updating, or deletion of an element at a particular location.

For instance, in an array defined as arr = [10, 20, 30, 40], the index for the first element (10) is 0, the second element (20) is 1, and so forth. This systematic numbering enables developers to write code that can dynamically interact with the array's elements by using these index values.

When considering the other terms, a subscript is often used interchangeably with index, especially in mathematical contexts, but it more commonly applies to multi-dimensional arrays. A pointer typically refers to a variable that holds the memory address of another variable, allowing indirect access to data rather than directly referring to a position in an array. A reference usually acts as an alias for another variable, allowing for easier data manipulation but does not directly indicate the position of data