What does the conditional operator (ternary operator) do in C++?

The conditional operator, also known as the ternary operator, is a concise way to evaluate a boolean condition and return one of two possible values based on the outcome of that evaluation. Its syntax is structured as follows: condition ? value_if_true : value_if_false;.

When the condition is true, the operator returns the first value (value_if_true), and if the condition is false, it returns the second value (value_if_false). This operator allows for a more compact representation of conditional logic compared to traditional if-else statements, making it useful for simple conditions that need to yield different results. For example, in an expression like int result = (a > b) ? a : b;, the result will be assigned the value of a if a is greater than b, otherwise, it will be assigned the value of b.

The other options do not properly describe the primary function of the conditional operator. For instance, executing a loop based on a condition pertains more to control flow constructs such as for or while loops. Comparing two strings involves string comparison methods, which is unrelated to the ternary operator’s purpose. Defining a function involves different syntax and rules in C++, distinct from what the conditional