Question

include # What is the meaning of this directive? # include

Short answer

The line "include " is a preprocessor directive in a C++ program that tells the preprocessor to include the contents of the "iostream" header file in the source code. The "iostream" header file is part of the standard C++ library, providing input and output functions and objects (such as cin, cout, cerr, clog) that enable us to perform standard input and output operations, like reading from the keyboard and displaying output on the screen. Including the "iostream" header file in a program prepares it for I/O operations.

Step-by-step solution

Identify the Directive

The given code is a C++ preprocessor directive. A preprocessor is a program that processes the source code before the actual compilation step. The #include directive is one such directive that is used to include files in a C++ program. #Step 2: Explain the "#include" Directive#

Explain the "#include" Directive

The #include directive is used to include the contents of a specified file in the source file. This directive is used to include header files, which contain function declarations and macros that are used in the program. When the preprocessor encounters this directive, it replaces the directive with the contents of the given file. #Step 3: Understand the "iostream" Header File#

Understand the "iostream" Header File

The header file is a standard C++ library file that provides facilities for input and output operations using the standard C++ streams (such as cin, cout, cerr, clog). It is required when we want to perform input and output operations in a C++ program. #Step 4: Explain the Purpose of "include " in a C++ Program#

Explain the Purpose of "include " in a C++ Program

By including the header file in a C++ program, we gain access to the input and output functions and objects provided by the C++ standard library. This allows us to use standard input and output operations in our program. It essentially prepares the program to perform I/O operations like reading from the keyboard and displaying output on the screen. In conclusion, the line "include " in a C++ program is a preprocessor directive that tells the preprocessor to include the contents of the "iostream" header file in the source code enabling us to use standard input and output operations in the program.