C++ Primer, Fifth Edition

Pointers and Multidimensional Arrays

As with any array, when we use the name of a multidimensional array, it is automatically converted to a pointer to the first element in the array.

Note

When you define a pointer to a multidimensional array, remember that a multidimensional array is really an array of arrays.

Because a multidimensional array is really an array of arrays, the pointer type to which the array converts is a pointer to the first inner array:

int ia[3][4];     // array of size 3; each element is an array of ints of size 4int (*p)[4] = ia; // p points to an array of four intsp = &ia[2];       // p now points to the last element ...