Why can we omit the first dimension of a multidimensional array when we are passing it to a function

Question

Why can we omit the first dimension of a multidimensional array when we are passing it to a function?

In my programming class, we were told what when passing a multi

Answer 1

You cannot pass arrays to functions. Any function declared as taking an array type is automatically adjusted to take the corresponding pointer type. When you use the name of an array in a function call expression it decays to a pointer to its first element.

These four declarations declare the same function:

void f(int b[10][15][20]);
void f(int (*b)[15][20]);
void f(int b[][15][20]);
void f(int b[100][15][20]);

and, given int a[10][15][20];, these function calls are identical:

f(a);
f(&a[0]);

Answer 2

Because the array will decay to pointer and to calculate offset to the elements of the array you do not need to know the innermost dimension. Offset to a[i][j][k] is i*nj*nk+j*nk+k (where nj and nk are corresponding dimensions).