Are pointers considered a method of calling by reference in C?

Question

In my University\'s C programming class, the professor and subsequent book written by her uses the term call or pass by reference when referring to poin

Answer 1

"Passing by reference" is a concept. Yes, you are passing the value of a pointer to the function, but in that instance the value of that pointer is being used to reference the variable.

Someone else used a screwdriver analogy to explain that it is wrong to refer to the passing of pointers as passing by reference, saying that you can screw a screw with a coin but that that doesn't mean you would call the coin a screw driver. I would say that is a great analogy, but they come to the wrong conclusion. In fact, while you wouldn't claim a coin was a screwdriver, you would still say that you screwed the screw in with it. i.e. even though pointers are not the same as c++ references, what you are using them to do IS passing by reference.