Consider the following program snippet. Assume that the program compiles and runs successfully. Further, assume that the fork() system call is always successful in creating a process.int main () { int i; for (i = 0; i < 3; i++){ if (fork() == 0){ continue; } break; } printf("Hello!"); return 0; }The total number of times that the printf statement gets executed is ________. (answer in integer)

Let us trace the execution of the loop step by step:

1. Iteration $i = 0$:

   • The original parent process calls fork().

   • In the parent, fork() returns a non-zero value (the child's PID). Thus, fork() == 0 is false, the parent executes break;, exits the loop, and reaches printf("Hello!");.

   • In the child ($C_1$), fork() returns 0. The condition fork() == 0 is true, so it executes continue; and advances to $i = 1$.

2. Iteration $i = 1$:

   • Process $C_1$ calls fork().

   • In the parent ($C_1$), fork() returns a non-zero value, it executes break;, exits the loop, and reaches printf("Hello!");.

   • In the new child ($C_2$), fork() returns 0, executes continue;, and advances to $i = 2$.

3. Iteration $i = 2$:

   • Process $C_2$ calls fork().

   • In the parent ($C_2$), fork() returns a non-zero value, executes break;, exits the loop, and reaches printf("Hello!");.

   • In the new child ($C_3$), fork() returns 0, executes continue;, and increments to $i = 3$.

4. Loop Termination:

   • Process $C_3$ checks the loop condition $i < 3$, which is now false ($3 < 3$ is false). It terminates the loop and executes printf("Hello!");.

Hence, exactly 4 distinct processes (the original parent, $C_1$, $C_2$, and $C_3$) reach the printf statement.

Therefore, printf is executed 4 times.