Deleting a single record

What this C++ code-tracing question tests

This is a medium-difficulty code-tracing question that requires careful attention to C++ language semantics, particularly around memory management, pointer behaviour, and object lifecycle. It rewards candidates who can mentally execute code step-by-step and predict side effects accurately.

To approach questions like this, you need to track the state of variables and heap allocations as the program runs, paying close attention to any destructor calls, pointer reassignments, or edge cases in how C++ handles deletion and cleanup. Quant firms use these questions to verify that candidates have solid foundational knowledge of C++ rather than relying on vague intuition.

• Pointer semantics and dereferencing
• Dynamic memory allocation and deallocation
• Object construction and destruction order
• Scope and lifetime in C++