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

The primary function of a compiler is to convert high-level language code, which is human-readable, into machine language code that a computer's processor can understand and execute. High-level programming languages like C++ are designed to be easy for humans to read and write, providing abstractions and complex features. However, computers operate at a much lower level, utilizing binary machine code.

This conversion process involves several stages, including lexical analysis, syntax analysis, semantic analysis, optimization, and code generation. Each stage prepares the high-level instructions for execution in an efficient and executable format. Understanding this essential role of a compiler is crucial, as it allows programmers to write complex code without needing to learn the intricacies of machine-level programming.

The other choices imply functions not typically associated with a compiler. For example, executing programs directly is a task performed by an interpreter or runtime environment, writing machine language refers to the output of a compiler rather than its function, and managing hardware resources is related to operating systems rather than compilers. Therefore, the role of the compiler is specifically to transform code so it can be executed by a computer.