Arizona State University (ASU) CSE240 Introduction to Programming Languages Midterm Practice Exam

Question: 1 / 400

What happens to a local variable when the function it is defined in ends?

It retains its value for future calls

It is automatically saved to a global state

It is destroyed and its memory is freed

When a local variable is defined within a function, it has a scope limited to that particular function. Once the function execution ends, the local variable ceases to exist; that is, it is destroyed. This process involves the deallocation of the memory that was allocated for the variable, effectively freeing up that space for reuse by the system.

This behavior is a core concept in programming languages that use a stack-based memory management model. When the function is called, the local variables are pushed onto the call stack. Upon the function's termination, these variables are popped off the stack, leading to their destruction. Therefore, any data held by that local variable is no longer accessible, asserting that it does not retain its value for future calls, cannot be saved to a global state, and is not accessible by other functions. This encapsulation of variable scope is pivotal for maintaining the integrity of data within functions.

Get further explanation with Examzify DeepDiveBeta

It can be accessed by other functions

Next Question

Report this question

Download Arizona State University (ASU) CSE240 Introduction to Programming Languages Midterm Practice Exam PDF Study Guide
Subscribe

Get the latest from Examzify

You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our privacy policy