C Language MCQ Questions and Answers

C Language MCQ Questions and Answers. These 100 Multiple Choice Questions on C Programming Language will help you score full marks in your exam & interview.

History and Origins: C Language MCQ Questions and Answers

Question 1: Which language directly influenced the development of C?

A. Java

B. B

C. Python

D. COBOL

Question 2: Who is credited with creating the C programming language?

A. Bjarne Stroustrup

B. James Gosling

C. Dennis Ritchie

D. Guido van Rossum

Question 3:  What is the name of the first widely available description of the C language, often referred to as “K&R C”?

A. The C Programming Language

B. The C++ Programming Language

C. The C Standard Library

D. The C Reference Manual

Question 4: Which of the following is NOT a C standard?

A. ANSI C

B. C99

C. C++11

D. K&R C

Question 5: C played a crucial role in the development of which operating system?

A. Windows

B. macOS

C. Unix

D. Android

Key Features and Characteristics

Question 6: What programming paradigm does C follow?

A. Object-oriented

B. Functional

C. Procedural

D. Logic

Question 7: Which feature allows C programs to run on different types of computers with minimal changes?

A. Modularity

B. Efficiency

C. Portability

D. Low-level access

Question 8:  What mechanism in C promotes code reusability?

A. Classes

B. Objects

C. Functions

D. Templates

Question 9:  C is known for its efficiency because it:

A. Is interpreted

B. Has automatic garbage collection

C. Provides low-level access to hardware

D. Uses dynamic typing

Question 10: What type of language is C, in terms of how it is executed?

A. Interpreted

B. Compiled

C. Scripted

D. Markup

Question 11: Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of C?

A. High-level abstraction

B. Rich set of operators

C. Modularity

D. Efficiency

Question 12: What is the process of converting C source code into an executable program called?

A. Interpretation

B. Compilation

C. Assembly

D. Linking

Setting up a Development Environment

Question 13: Which of the following is a popular compiler for C?

A. Python interpreter

B. Java Virtual Machine

C. GCC

D. Node.js

Question 14: What is the purpose of a linker in C programming?

A. To write the source code

B. To compile the source code

C. To combine object files and libraries into an executable

D. To debug the program

Question 15: What is the typical file extension for C source code files?

A. .cpp

B. .java

C. .c

D. .py

Question 16:  Which of the following is NOT a component of a typical C development environment?

A. Text editor

B. Compiler

C. Web browser

D. Debugger

Question 17: What is the first step in creating a C program?

A. Compiling the code

B. Running the code

C. Writing the source code in a text editor

D. Linking the object files

Question 18:  What command is commonly used to compile C code using GCC?

A. python

B. java

C. gcc

D. node

Structure of a C Program

Question 19: What is the name of the function that serves as the entry point for execution in a C program?

A.  start()

B.  main()

C.  begin()

D.  execute()

Question 20: What is the purpose of header files in C?

A. To store the program’s executable code.

B. To define functions, variables, and macros.

C. To contain the program’s main logic.

D. To provide comments and documentation.

Question 21:  Which preprocessor directive is used to include header files in a C program?

A. #define

B. #ifdef

C. #include

D. #pragma

Question 22:  What function is commonly used to display output to the console in C?

A.  scanf()

B.  print()

C.  cout

D.  printf()

Question 23: What is the purpose of comments in C code?

A. To instruct the compiler.

B. To improve code readability and provide explanations.

C. To define variables.

D. To declare functions.

Question 24:  What symbol is used to indicate a single-line comment in C?

A. //

B. /* */

C. D. #

Question 25:  What is the purpose of the `scanf()` function in C?

A. To display output to the console.

B. To read input from the user.

C. To define variables.

D. To perform mathematical calculations.

Data Types and Variables

Question 26: Which of the following is NOT an integer data type in C?

A. int

B. char

C. float

D. long

Question 27: What data type is used to store single characters in C?

A. int

B. char

C. string

D. float

Question 28:  What is the purpose of the `void` data type in C?

A. To represent integers.

B. To store decimal numbers.

C. To indicate the absence of a value or type.

D. To define strings.

Question 29:  What is the correct way to declare an integer variable named “age” in C?

A. int age;

B. variable age;

C. age integer;

D. declare age as int;

Question 30:  What is the process of assigning an initial value to a variable at the time of declaration called?

A.  Declaration

B.  Definition

C.  Initialization

D.  Assignment

Question 31:  What are values that cannot be changed during program execution called?

A. Variables

B. Constants

C. Literals

D. Identifiers

Question 32:  Which keyword is used to declare a constant in C?

A. constant

B. const

C. fixed

D. static

Question 33:  Where are variables typically stored in a computer’s memory?

A.  Hard drive

B.  CPU

C.  RAM

D.  ROM

Operators and Expressions

Question 34: Which operator is used for addition in C?

A.  `+`

B.  `-`

C.  `*`

D.  `/`

Question 35: What does the modulus operator (`%`) do?

A.  Divides two numbers.

B.  Returns the remainder of a division operation.

C.  Multiplies two numbers.

D.  Subtracts one number from another.

Question 36:  Which operator is used to check if two values are equal in C?

A.  `=`

B.  `==`

C.  `!=`

D.  `>`

Question 37:  What does the logical AND operator (`&&`) do?

A.  Returns true if either operand is true.

B.  Returns true if both operands are true.

C.  Returns true if an operand is false.

D.  Inverts the logical value of an operand.

Question 38:  Which operator is used to perform a bitwise XOR operation in C?

A.  `&`

B.  `|`

C.  `^`

D.  `~`

Question 39:  What is the purpose of the assignment operator (`=`) in C?

A.  To check if two values are equal.

B.  To assign a value to a variable.

C.  To perform addition.

D.  To compare two values.

Question 40:  What is the order in which operators are evaluated in an expression called?

A.  Associativity

B.  Precedence

C.  Evaluation order

D.  Grouping

Question 41:  What is the process of converting one data type to another called in C?

A.  Casting

B.  Transformation

C.  Parsing

D.  Transmutation

Question 42:  Which of the following is NOT a type of operator in C?

A.  Arithmetic

B.  Relational

C.  Logical

D.  Declarative

Conditional Statements

Question 43: Which statement is used to execute a block of code only if a condition is true?

A.  `for`

B.  `while`

C.  `if`

D.  `switch`

Question 44: What is the keyword used to specify an alternative block of code to be executed if the condition in an `if` statement is false?

A.  `else`

B.  `elseif`

C.  `otherwise`

D.  `elif`

Question 45:  What is a series of nested `if-else` statements called?

A.  Conditional chain

B.  Nested conditional

C.  If-else ladder

D.  Branching statement

Question 46:  Which statement allows you to select one of many code blocks to be executed based on the value of an expression?

A.  `if`

B.  `while`

C.  `for`

D.  `switch`

Question 47:  What keyword is used to exit a `switch` statement in C?

A.  `exit`

B.  `return`

C.  `break`

D.  `continue`

Question 48:  What is the purpose of the `default` case in a `switch` statement?

A.  To specify the first case to be checked.

B.  To provide a catch-all block of code if no other case matches.

C.  To define a condition for the switch statement.

D.  To exit the switch statement.

Loops: C Language MCQ Questions and Answers

Question 49: Which loop is used when you know the number of iterations in advance?

A. `for`

B. `while`

C. `do-while`

D. `repeat-until`

Question 50: What is the section of a `for` loop that determines whether the loop should continue or terminate called?

A. Initialization

B. Condition

C. Update

D. Body

Question 51: Which loop continues to execute as long as its condition remains true?

A. `for`

B. `while`

C. `do-while`

D. `if`

Question 52:  What is the key difference between a `while` loop and a `do-while` loop?

A. A `while` loop always executes at least once.

B. A `do-while` loop always executes at least once.

C. A `while` loop is used for definite iteration.

D. A `do-while` loop cannot have a condition.

Question 53:  What is a loop placed inside another loop called?

A. Inner loop

B. Outer loop

C. Nested loop

D. Parallel loop

Question 54:  Which keyword is used to immediately exit a loop in C?

A. `exit`

B. `return`

C. `break`

D. `continue`

Question 55:  What does the `continue` keyword do in a loop?

A. Exits the loop completely.

B. Skips the current iteration and proceeds to the next.

C. Pauses the loop execution.

D. Restarts the loop from the beginning.

Defining and Calling Functions

Question 56: What is a function prototype in C?

A. The complete definition of a function.

B. A declaration of a function that specifies its name, return type, and parameters.

C. The code that calls a function.

D. A comment that describes what a function does.

Question 57: What is the keyword used to specify the type of value a function returns in C?

A. `void`

B. `return`

C. `function`

D. The data type of the return value (e.g., `int`, `float`)

Question 58:  What is the process of passing data to a function called?

A.  Function calling

B.  Argument passing

C.  Value returning

D.  Data sharing

Question 59:  What keyword is used to send a value back from a function to its caller?

A. `void`

B. `return`

C. `send`

D. `back`

Question 60:  What is the region of a program where a variable is accessible called?

A. Scope

B. Lifetime

C. Visibility

D. Accessibility

Question 61:  What type of variable is declared inside a function and is only accessible within that function?

A. Global variable

B. Local variable

C. Static variable

D. External variable

Question 62:  What is a function that calls itself called?

A. Iterative function

B. Recursive function

C. Self-referential function

D. Nested function

Question 63:  Which of the following is NOT a common application of recursion?

A.  Calculating factorials

B.  Traversing tree structures

C.  Sorting arrays

D.  Performing simple arithmetic operations

Modular Programming

Question 64: What is the process of dividing a program into smaller, self-contained units called functions referred to as?

A.  Object-oriented programming

B.  Modular programming

C.  Functional programming

D.  Structured programming

Question 65: What is a key benefit of using functions in C?

A. Increased code complexity

B. Reduced code reusability

C. Improved code readability and maintainability

D. Slower program execution

Question 66:  What design approach starts with a high-level overview of the program and breaks it down into smaller, more manageable components?

A. Bottom-up design

B. Top-down design

C. Inside-out design

D. Spiral design

Question 67:  What is the process of gradually refining program components into more detailed implementations called?

A.  Decomposition

B.  Abstraction

C.  Stepwise refinement

D.  Modularization

Question 68:  What is the primary purpose of using header files in modular programming?

A. To store the program’s executable code.

B. To organize function declarations and make them accessible to multiple source files.

C. To contain the program’s main logic.

D. To provide comments and documentation.

Arrays: C Language MCQ Questions and Answers

Question 69: What is a collection of elements of the same data type stored contiguously in memory called?

A.  Structure

B.  Union

C.  Array

D.  List

Question 70: How are individual elements within an array accessed?

A. By their names

B. By their values

C. By their indices (positions)

D. By their memory addresses

Question 71:  What is a common way to process all elements in an array?

A. Using conditional statements

B. Using loops

C. Using functions

D. Using pointers

Question 72:  What is an array with more than one dimension called?

A.  Single-dimensional array

B.  Linear array

C.  Multidimensional array

D.  Dynamic array

Question 73:  How are arrays typically passed to functions in C?

A. By value

B. By reference

C. By pointer

D. By copy

Question 74:  If an array is declared as `int numbers[5];`, what is the index of the last element?

A. 5

B. 6

C. 4

D. 0

Strings: C Language MCQ Questions and Answers

Question 75: How are strings represented in C?

A. As a separate string data type

B. As arrays of characters

C. As individual characters

D. As pointers to characters

Question 76: What is the special character used to mark the end of a string in C?

A.  \n

B.  \t

C.  \0

D.  \\

Question 77:  Which function is used to find the length of a string in C?

A. `length()`

B. `size()`

C. `strlen()`

D. `strsize()`

Question 78:  What function is used to copy one string to another in C?

A. `strcpy()`

B. `strcat()`

C. `strdup()`

D. `strcopy()`

Question 79:  What function is used to concatenate (join) two strings in C?

A. `strcpy()`

B. `strcat()`

C. `strjoin()`

D. `stradd()`

Question 80:  What is a sequence of characters enclosed in double quotes called in C?

A.  Character array

B.  String literal

C.  String constant

D.  Character sequence

Understanding Memory Addresses

Question 81: What is a variable that stores the memory address of another variable called?

A. Array

B. Structure

C. Pointer

D. Function

Question 82:  What symbol is used to declare a pointer variable in C?

A.  `&`

B.  `*`

C.  `->`

D.  `.`

Question 83:  What is the process of accessing the value stored at the memory address held by a pointer called?

A.  Pointer assignment

B.  Dereferencing

C.  Pointer arithmetic

D.  Address resolution

Question 84:  What does pointer arithmetic allow you to do?

A. Perform mathematical operations on memory addresses.

B. Compare the values of two pointers.

C. Assign a new value to a pointer.

D.  All of the above.

Question 85:  What is the relationship between pointers and arrays in C?

A.  Arrays are implemented using pointers.

B.  An array name can be used as a pointer to its first element.

C.  Pointer arithmetic can be used to access array elements.

D.  All of the above.

Question 86:  If `ptr` is a pointer to an integer, what does `*ptr` represent?

A. The address of the pointer itself.

B. The value of the integer that `ptr` points to.

C. The size of the integer.

D. The data type of the pointer.

Pointers and Functions

Question 87: What is the mechanism of passing a pointer to a function as an argument called?

A. Pass by value

B. Pass by reference

C. Pass by pointer

D. Both B and C

Question 88:  What is a key advantage of passing pointers to functions?

A.  It allows you to modify the original values of variables passed as arguments.

B.  It reduces the amount of memory used.

C.  It makes the code more readable.

D.  It prevents errors.

Question 89:  Can functions return pointers?

A.  No, functions can only return basic data types.

B.  Yes, functions can return pointers to any data type.

C.  Yes, but only pointers to integers.

D.  It depends on the compiler.

Question 90:  What is the process of allocating memory during program execution called?

A.  Static memory allocation

B.  Dynamic memory allocation

C.  Automatic memory allocation

D.  Memory reservation

Question 91:  Which function is commonly used to allocate a block of memory dynamically in C?

A.  `malloc()`

B.  `calloc()`

C.  `realloc()`

D.  All of the above

Question 92:  What function is used to deallocate dynamically allocated memory in C?

A.  `delete()`

B.  `free()`

C.  `release()`

D.  `dealloc()`

Structures: C Language MCQ Questions and Answers

Question 93: What is a user-defined data type that groups related variables of different data types under a single name called?

A. Array

B. Structure

C. Union

D. Pointer

Question 94:  What operator is used to access members of a structure in C?

A.  `.` (dot operator)

B.  `->` (arrow operator)

C.  `*` (asterisk)

D.  `&` (ampersand)

Question 95:  Can structures be passed to functions and returned from functions?

A.  No, only basic data types can be used with functions.

B.  Yes, structures can be passed by value or by reference (using pointers).

C.  Yes, but only small structures can be used.

D.  It depends on the compiler.

Question 96:  What is a structure defined within another structure called?

A.  Inner structure

B.  Nested structure

C.  Substructure

D.  Child structure

Unions: C Language MCQ Questions and Answers

Question 97: What is a union in C?

A.  A data type that groups variables of different data types, where all members share the same memory location.

B.  The same as a structure.

C.  A special type of pointer.

D.  A way to define constants.

Question 98:  What is the key difference between a structure and a union?

A.  Structures can hold data of different types, while unions cannot.

B.  Members of a structure share the same memory location, while members of a union do not.

C.  Members of a union share the same memory location, while members of a structure do not.

D.  There is no difference.

Question 99:  Which of the following is a potential application of a union?

A.  Storing data that can have different interpretations (e.g., a value that can be treated as an integer or a float).

B.  Representing complex data structures with hierarchical relationships.

C.  Creating arrays of different data types.

D.  Defining functions with multiple return types.

File Operations

Question 100: Which function is used to open a file in C?

A.  `open()`

B.  `fopen()`

C.  `create_file()`

D.  `file_open()`

Most Asked Important Questions on C Language

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