Case and point 1

What this C++ code-reading question tests

This is an easy C++ question that asks you to trace through a code snippet and predict its output. It's a common warm-up in technical interviews because it quickly reveals whether a candidate reads code carefully and understands the semantics of basic language constructs.

To solve questions like this, you work through the code line by line, tracking variable state and the effects of each operation. The skill being tested is not algorithmic thinking but rather precision: can you account for type conversions, scope rules, operator precedence, and the standard library's actual behaviour without guessing or relying on intuition?

• Operator precedence and associativity
• Type conversions and implicit casts
• Control flow and variable scope
• Standard library function behaviour