Question

Protected members of a base class are like _________ members, except they may be accessed by derived classes.

Short answer

Answer: Protected members of a base class are similar to private members in terms of having restricted access within the class they are defined. However, they differ in that protected members can be accessed by derived classes, while private members cannot.

Step-by-step solution

Understanding Class Members

In object-oriented programming, a class contains members which can be variables, methods, or properties. These members can have different access levels (public, private, and protected) which determine their visibility and accessibility within the class and derived classes.

Comparing Public, Private, and Protected Members

- Public members can be accessed from any part of the program, including derived classes. - Private members can only be accessed within the class they are defined. Derived classes cannot access private members of the base class. - Protected members can be accessed within the class they are defined and by derived classes.

Identifying the Similarity with Protected Members

Protected members of a base class are similar to private members, as they both have restricted access within the class they are defined. However, the difference is that protected members can be accessed by derived classes.

Final Answer

Protected members of a base class are like private members, except they may be accessed by derived classes.