What does the break statement do in C++ loops?

The break statement in C++ loops is designed to exit the loop immediately. When the break statement is encountered during the execution of a loop, whether it be a while, for, or do-while loop, the control flow of the program is transferred to the statement immediately following the loop. This allows for dynamic alteration of the loop's behavior based on specific conditions, enabling the program to terminate the loop whenever necessary, rather than relying solely on the loop's predefined condition.

This mechanism is useful in situations where continuing to execute the loop is no longer required or could lead to unwanted behavior. For instance, if a certain condition is met—like finding an item in a search algorithm—a break can immediately halt further iterations, making the code both efficient and easier to read.

In contrast, the other options do not accurately represent the function of the break statement:

• The statement does not pause the execution of the loop, as that would imply a temporary halt rather than an exit.
• It does not restart the loop from the beginning; instead, it completely exits it.
• The break statement does not transfer control to the previous statement; it skips to the first statement after the loop instead.

This clear and specific functionality of the break statement is what makes