LINQ (Language Integrated Query) is an expression that retrieves data from a data source. LINQ simplifies this situation by offering a consistent model for working with data across various kinds of data sources and formats. In a LINQ query, you are always working with objects. You use the same basic coding patterns to query and transform data in XML documents, SQL databases, ADO.NET Datasets, .NET collections, and any other format for which a provider is available. LINQ can be used in C# and VB.

SelectMany (flat map):

Enumerable.Select returns an output element for every input element. Whereas Enumerable.SelectMany produces a variable number of output elements for each input element. This means that the output sequence may contain more or fewer elements than were in the input sequence. Lambda expressions passed to Enumerable.Select must return a single item. Lambda expressions passed to Enumerable.SelectMany must produce a child sequence. This child sequence may contain a varying number of elements for each element in the input sequence.
Example:

class Invoice
{
public int Id { get; set; }
}
class Customer
{
public Invoice[] Invoices {get;set;}
}
var customers = new[] {
new Customer {
Invoices = new[] {
new Invoice {Id=1},
new Invoice {Id=2},
}
},
new Customer {
Invoices = new[] {
new Invoice {Id=3},
new Invoice {Id=4},
}
},
new Customer {
Invoices = new[] {
new Invoice {Id=5},
new Invoice {Id=6},
}
}
};
var allInvoicesFromAllCustomers = customers.SelectMany(c => c.Invoices);
Console.WriteLine(string.Join(",", allInvoicesFromAllCustomers.Select(i => i.Id).ToArray()));

Output:

1,2,3,4,5,6