Question

In the following line of code, the class access specification for the base class is _______. class Pet : \(\mathbb{R}\) ish

Short answer

Answer: In the given line of code, the class access specification for the base class 'Fish' is 'private'.

Step-by-step solution

Identify Base Class and Derived Class

In the given line of code, 'class Pet : Fish', we have two classes. The class 'Pet' is the derived class (or subclass), and the class 'Fish' is the base class (or superclass). Step 2:

Clarify Class Access Specification

In C++, there are three types of class access specifications available: 1. Public: Members declared as public are available for any function to access. 2. Private: Members declared as private are accessible only within the class they are declared. 3. Protected: Members declared as protected can be accessed by both the base class and the derived class. Step 3:

Identify Implicit Access Specification

In the given line of code, there is no explicit access specification mentioned. When no access specification is provided in C++, the default access specifiers come into play. In C++, the default specifiers are: - For normal classes, the default access specifier is 'private'. - For struct, the default access specifier is 'public'. However, the default access specifier only affects the member variables and member functions, not inheritance. Step 4:

Determine the Access Specification for Inheritance

Since there is no access specification mentioned in the given code, the class access specification for the base class used in this context is 'private' by default. This is because, by default, inheritance without specifying an access specifier is considered private inheritance. Conclusion:

Class Access Specification for the Base Class

In the given line of code, the class access specification for the base class 'Fish' is 'private'.