What is the purpose of the free() function in C?
a) To deallocate memory previously allocated by
malloc()b) To allocate memory
c) To clear a variable
d) To reset a pointer
Answer:
a) To deallocate memory previously allocated by
malloc()Explanation:
The free() function in C is used to deallocate memory that was previously allocated using malloc(), calloc(), or realloc(). This function returns the memory back to the system for future use, preventing memory leaks, which occur when memory is not properly released. After calling free(), the pointer used to allocate the memory should not be used again unless it is reassigned.
Proper use of free() is essential for managing memory in C, especially in long-running applications or those that handle a significant amount of dynamic memory allocation.