• A data structure is a group of data elements are collected together under a single name and is defined by a specific storing and organisation structure inside a computer memory.
• It can also said as the mathematical model of organising data in a computer memory and methods to methods to process them
• They are mainly of two types:
• Linear Data structure: Here the Data elements are organised in a sequence of some manner.
• Non-linear Data structure: Here the data is ordered in any arbitrary order and not in a sequence
• Some common data structures are
• Linked list
• Arrays
• Stacks
• Queues
• Binary trees
• Hash tables

Areasof Application

• Data structures are used in any program or software.
• They are used in the areas of
• Compiler Design
• Operating System
• DBMS
• Graphics
• Simulation
• Numerical Analysis
• Artificial Intelligence