C++ has a “conditional operator”

C++ has a “conditional operator”, ?: (question mark together with is used in a conditional expression as follows: Boolean_expression ? expression1: expression2 For example: x > y + 5 ? 125: 3f(45) If x > y + 5 is true, the value of the conditional expression is 125 otherwise the value is 3f(45) Consider the following program: #include using namespace std; int p(int i, int j){//base case if(i/10 ==0) return i>j?i:j; int left=i%10; int right=j%10; if(i/10)*10+(right>left?right:left); if (k==i/10) return i; else return j;} int main() {cout<<=”” span=””>

The Correct Answer and Explanation is :

The ternary conditional operator ?: in C++ provides a concise way to perform conditional assignments or evaluations. Its syntax is:

condition ? expression_if_true : expression_if_false;

This operator evaluates condition; if it’s true, expression_if_true is executed; otherwise, expression_if_false is executed.

Example:

int max = (a > b) ? a : b;

In this example, if a is greater than b, max is assigned the value of a; otherwise, it’s assigned the value of b.

Explanation of the Provided Code:

The provided code snippet appears to be incomplete and contains syntax errors. However, based on the available information, it seems to be attempting to implement a function p that compares two integers i and j and returns the larger of the two.

The function p is intended to compare the digits of i and j from the least significant to the most significant. It extracts the least significant digits of i and j using the modulo operator % and compares them. If the digit of i is greater than the digit of j, it recursively calls p with the remaining digits of i and j. If the digit of j is greater than the digit of i, it returns j.

However, the code contains several issues:

1. Syntax Errors: The code contains incomplete statements and missing semicolons, which will result in compilation errors.
2. Uninitialized Variable k: The variable k is used without being declared or initialized, leading to undefined behavior.
3. Incorrect Recursive Call: The recursive call p(i / 10, j / 10) is intended to compare the remaining digits of i and j. However, the logic for comparing the digits is flawed, and the function may not return the correct result.
4. Incomplete main Function: The main function is incomplete and lacks the necessary code to test the function p.

Corrected Version:

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

int p(int i, int j) {
    // Base case: if both numbers are single digits
    if (i < 10 && j < 10) {
        return (i > j) ? i : j;
    }
    // Recursive case: compare the least significant digits
    int left = i % 10;
    int right = j % 10;
    if (left > right) {
        return p(i / 10, j);
    } else if (right > left) {
        return p(i, j / 10);
    } else {
        return p(i / 10, j / 10);
    }
}

int main() {
    int i = 123;
    int j = 456;
    cout << "The larger number is: " << p(i, j) << endl;
    return 0;
}

Explanation:

1. Base Case: The function first checks if both i and j are single-digit numbers. If they are, it returns the larger of the two using the ternary operator.
2. Recursive Case: If either i or j has more than one digit, the function compares the least significant digits (obtained using the modulo operator %).
3. Comparison Logic:

• If the least significant digit of i (left) is greater than that of j (right), the function recursively calls itself with i divided by 10 (removing the least significant digit) and j unchanged.
• If right is greater than left, it recursively calls with i unchanged and j divided by 10.
• If left and right are equal, it recursively calls with both i and j divided by 10.

1. Termination: The recursion continues until both i and j are single-digit numbers, at which point the base case is reached, and the larger number is returned.

Note: The ternary operator is used here to simplify the comparison between i and j when they are single-digit numbers. This approach demonstrates how the ternary operator can be utilized in recursive functions to make the code more concise and readable.

For more information on the ternary operator in C++, you can refer to the C++ Ternary Operator (With Examples) – Programiz.