This is for c programming: i need help with the following functions. How do I go about finding 5 contiguous free spaces either in a row or a acolumn and then write 5 of those to the array? Thank you.

MY FUNCTIONS:

void randomPlaceShips(int **board, int count, int symbol)

{

while(count--)

{

int r = rand() % rows;

int c = rand() % cols;

while(board[r][c] != '-')

{

// means this cell is already assigned, try something else..

r = rand() % rows;

c = rand() % cols;

}

// place ship type

board[r][c] = symbol;

}

}

void placeShips(int **board)

{

// put 5 carriers

randomPlaceShips(board, 5, 'C');

// put 4 battleships

randomPlaceShips(board, 4, 'B');

// put 3 destroyer

randomPlaceShips(board, 3, 'D');

// put 3 submarine

randomPlaceShips(board, 3, 'S');

// put 3 patrol boat

randomPlaceShips(board, 2, 'P');

}