Explain the concept of inheritance in C++.

Inheritance in C++ is a fundamental concept in object-oriented programming that allows a class to acquire the properties (attributes) and behaviors (methods) of another class. By using inheritance, you can create a new class that is based on an existing class, which facilitates code reuse and establishes a hierarchical relationship between classes.

When a class inherits from another, it can use the attributes and methods of the parent class (often referred to as the base class), which promotes the reusability of code. The derived class can also introduce its own additional attributes and methods, or override existing methods from the base class to provide specific functionality. This mechanism can simplify program design and help manage complex systems by organizing them into a structure that reflects their relationships.

For instance, if you have a base class called "Vehicle," you can create derived classes like "Car" and "Bicycle," which inherit common features such as "speed" and "weight" from "Vehicle" while also implementing specific functionalities unique to each type of vehicle.

The other choices do not accurately represent the concept of inheritance. Although classes can operate independently, inheritance specifically promotes a relationship of dependency between classes. Access restrictions pertain to encapsulation rather than the inheritance concept itself. Additionally, while inheritance can allow