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

Encapsulation in programming refers to the concept of bundling data (attributes) and the methods (functions or procedures) that operate on that data into a single unit, typically a class. This principle is fundamental to object-oriented programming as it provides a clear structure for organizing code and allows for better control over data access by restricting direct access to some of an object's components.

By combining both data and behavior within the same entity, encapsulation helps to protect the internal state of the object from unintended interference and misuse. This means that the internal implementation can be changed without affecting external components that interact with the object, as long as the interface (the exposed methods) remains consistent. As a result, encapsulation enhances code maintainability and readability.

The other concepts mentioned do not accurately describe the essence of encapsulation. While using multiple classes to achieve a goal relates to design structure, creating new classes from existing ones pertains to inheritance, and using a single interface for multiple classes refers to polymorphism. Each of these concepts is essential in its own right but does not encapsulate the specific meaning of combining data and methods into a cohesive unit.