### DIM function Apart from the **DIM** array declaration command, there's also a function by the same name that returns information regarding any declared array. It's syntax is: **DIM** (*arrayname[$]()* [, *dimension*]) |*numeric* and it returns the number of elements in the specified *dimension* of the array *arrayname* (dimension defaults to **0** if not specified). If *dimension* equals **0**, **DIM** will simply return the number of dimensions in the array. Simple strings are treated as single-dimension character arrays, returning **1** as the number of dimensions and the current string length as the number of elements in dimension **1**.\ Let's write a little program to illustrate: ``` 10 DIM a(100,10,5) 20 PRINT DIM (a()) 30 PRINT DIM(a(),1) 40 PRINT DIM(a(),2) 50 PRINT DIM(a(),3) ``` which will return: ``` 3 100 10 5 ``` ### Exercises 1. Use **READ** and **DATA** statements to set up an array **m$** of twelve strings in which **m$(n)** is the name of the *nᵗʰ* month. (Hint: the **DIM** statement will be **DIM m$(12,9)**. Test it by printing out all the **m$(n)** (use a loop)). 2. Type: ``` PRINT "now is the month of ";m$(5);"ing"; " when merry lads are playing" ``` What can you do about all those spaces?