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

The purpose of curly braces `{}` in C++ is to define a block of code. This means that any statements or expressions within the braces are treated as a single unit of action by the compiler. Blocks of code are commonly used to group together the instructions that should be executed together, such as in the body of functions, conditional statements (like `if` statements), and loops (like `for` or `while` loops).

For instance, when you define a function in C++, you enclose the function's code within curly braces, indicating what should happen when the function is called. Similarly, in an `if` statement, the code that should run if the condition is true is enclosed in `{}`. This organization is integral to the flow and structure of the code, helping to manage scope and maintain clarity in programming.

Other options do not accurately describe the purpose of curly braces. While one might assume they could indicate the start and end of a program or encapsulate different data types, those functionalities are not represented by curly braces. Additionally, while curly braces are used in the context of function definitions, their primary function is to delineate code blocks rather than to create functions themselves.