Question

The expression that follows the switch statement must have a(n) ___ value.

Short answer

#tag_title# Short Answer #tag_content# In a switch statement, the expression must have a value that can be compared to the possible cases. Typically, the expected value types for the expression in a switch statement are integers or enumerated values (which are internally treated as integers), depending on the programming language being used.

Step-by-step solution

Understanding a switch statement

A switch statement in programming languages is a conditional control structure that allows multiple conditions to be checked. The switch statement tests the value of a given expression against several possible values (called cases). When it finds a matching case, the code associated with that case is executed. The general structure of a switch statement is as follows: switch (expression) { case value1: // code to be executed if the expression equals value1 break; case value2: // code to be executed if the expression equals value2 break; ... default: // code to be executed if the expression doesn't match any of the case values }

Identify the value type of the expression

In a switch statement, the expression must have a value that can be compared to the possible cases. The permissible value types may vary slightly depending on the programming language being used. However, most programming languages expect the expression to have an integer or an enumerated value (which is internally treated as an integer).