Question

When a class variable is said to reference an object, what is actually stored in the class variable?

Short answer

Answer: When a class variable references an object in Object-Oriented Programming, it means that the variable is storing a reference or a pointer to the object's location in memory. The class variable stores the memory address in hexadecimal format where the object is located, which can be used to access and manipulate the object's data and methods. It is important to note that the class variable does not store the object itself, but rather a pointer to the object's location in memory.

Step-by-step solution

Understanding Class Variables and Objects

In Object-Oriented Programming, a class is a blueprint for creating objects, and objects are instances of a class. A class variable is a variable that is shared by all instances of a class. When a class variable is said to reference an object, it means that the variable is storing a reference or a pointer to an object in memory.

Explaining What is Stored in the Class Variable

When a class variable references an object, it actually stores the memory address where the object is located. This memory address, stored in hexadecimal format, can be used to access and manipulate the object's data and methods. It's important to remember that the class variable is not storing the object itself, but rather a reference or pointer to the object's location in memory.