Legal Definitions - records

Definition: Records refer to a type of data structure used in computer programming. They are a collection of related data items that are stored together under a single name. Each data item within a record is identified by a unique name, known as a field or member.

Example: In a program that manages student information, a record might be created for each student. The record could contain fields such as the student's name, ID number, date of birth, and grade point average. By storing all of this information together in a single record, it becomes easier to manage and manipulate the data.

Explanation: The example illustrates how records are used to organize related data items. In this case, the data items are all related to a particular student, and are stored together in a record. By using records, the program can easily access and manipulate the data for each student, without having to search through multiple data structures.