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What this C++ language-knowledge question tests

This is an easy C++ question that checks whether you understand how compiler shortcuts and operator precedence work in practice. It's the kind of question Microsoft and other large tech companies use to filter for candidates who read code carefully and know the standard library well.

The question requires you to trace through a code snippet and predict its output. Success depends on recognizing how C++ handles certain common patterns—both the language rules that govern them and the subtle behaviours that trip up candidates who haven't internalized the standard. Pay close attention to the order in which operations execute and what side effects occur.

• Operator precedence and associativity
• Short-circuit evaluation
• Type conversions and implicit casting