What does the & operator do in C when used with a variable?
a) It returns the address of the variable
b) It multiplies the variable by a constant
c) It adds two variables
d) It divides the variable by a constant
Answer:
a) It returns the address of the variable
Explanation:
The & operator in C, when used with a variable, returns the memory address of that variable. This operator is known as the “address-of” operator. It is commonly used in conjunction with pointers, allowing the pointer to store the address of a variable. For example, if int x = 10;, then int *ptr = &x; will store the address of x in the pointer ptr. Understanding how to use the & operator is essential for working with pointers and managing memory effectively in C.