Arizona State University (ASU) CSE100 Principles of Programming with C++ Midterm 1 Practice Exam

A for loop is designed to execute a specific number of times based on a defined starting point, an end condition, and an increment expression. This structure makes it particularly useful for scenarios where the number of iterations is known before entering the loop. For instance, you might use a for loop to iterate through numbers from 1 to 10, executing the loop body exactly ten times.

The other options don't accurately describe the essence of a for loop. The first option refers more to a while loop, which continues to run until a specified condition becomes false. The second option suggests a manual increment, but a for loop typically includes automatic incrementing specified in its structure. Lastly, the fourth option incorrectly limits the functionality of a for loop, as it can be used with various iterable constructs, not just arrays. Thus, the defining characteristic of a for loop's format directly aligns with the idea that it executes a predetermined number of times, which makes that choice correct.