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

Creating alternative paths of execution in C++ is accomplished by using conditional statements or switch cases. Conditional statements, such as `if`, `else if`, and `else`, allow the program to evaluate conditions and execute different blocks of code based on whether those conditions are true or false. For instance, if you want to check whether a user's input meets specific criteria, you can use an `if` statement to execute one set of instructions if the condition is met and another set if it is not.

Additionally, the `switch` statement provides a way to execute code based on the value of a variable. This is particularly useful when you have multiple discrete cases to handle without needing multiple `if` statements. When the program runs, it evaluates the cases and jumps to the corresponding block of code for execution.

Using these constructs, programmers can effectively manage program flow and implement decision-making processes, which results in more dynamic and responsive applications.

In contrast, relying solely on loops does not provide alternative paths; loops are designed primarily for repeated execution of code blocks under certain conditions, rather than branching logic. Defining global variables does not affect the flow control of the program itself; it merely affects the scope and accessibility of data. Creating multiple main functions is not valid in