What Is the Difference Between Vector and Array Processing?
Vector and array processing are essentially the same because, with slight and rare differences, a vector processor and an array processor are the same type of processor. A processor, or central processing unit (CPU), is a computer chip that handles most of the information and functions processed through a computer. A vector processor is in contrast to the simpler scalar processor, which handles only one piece of information at a time. In discussions about vector and array processing, the two terms are used interchangeably, but they are technically slightly different. An array is made up of indexed collections of information called indices, the plural form of the word “index.” Though an array can, in rare cases, have only one index collection, a vector is technically indicative of an array with at least two indices. Vectors are sometimes referred to as “blocks” of computer data.
