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

In C++, defining a constant involves using the `const` keyword. This keyword allows you to declare a variable whose value cannot be changed once it has been initialized. For example, when you write `const int myConstant = 10;`, you are creating a constant integer named `myConstant` which holds the value of 10. Any attempt to modify `myConstant` later in your code would result in a compiler error, ensuring that the integrity of the constant remains intact.

The alternative methods mentioned do not align with the standard practices for defining constants in C++. Using the `define` keyword refers to preprocessor directives (`#define`), which is a way to define macros rather than true constants in the language. Constants defined this way do not have a specific type and do not offer the same type safety that using the `const` keyword provides. Declaring a constant name followed by an equals sign implies an assignment rather than a declaration with proper type specification. Lastly, defining constants within a class may be a way to create class-level constants but does not represent the general method of defining constants in C++. Thus, using the `const` keyword is the most accurate and preferred way to define constants in C++.