Programming and Data Structures · Programming in C
Official IIT answer key · IISc Bangalore · Audited Aug 2026
GATE CSE 2016 Set 2 Q35 · MCQ · 2 marks
int exp(int X, int Y) {
int res = 1, a = X, b = Y;
while ( b != 0 ){
if ( b%2 == 0) { a = a*a; b = b/2; }
else { res = res*a; b = b-1; }
}
return res;
}
Which one of the following conditions is TRUE before every iteration of the loop?Key concept
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Topic notes
In GATE CS, Programming in C is tested extensively through rigorous code tracing, pointer mechanics, and fundamental semantics rather than high-level syntax trivia. Questions emphasize pointer arithmetic and multidimensional array decay, storage classes (especially static local variables), evaluation order, side effects of increment/decrement operators, parameter passing mechanisms (pass-by-value vs pass-by-reference), and recursive program state tracking. The topic features a nearly balanced split between NAT and MCQ items across 1-mark and 2-mark categories, demanding precise, bug-free execution traces without a compiler.
Full Programming in C guide →The following function computes XY for positive integers X and Y. int exp(int X, int Y) int res = 1, a = X, b = Y; while ( b != 0 ) if ( b%2 == 0) a = a*a; b = b/2; else res = res*a; b = b-1; return res; Which one of the following conditions is TRUE before every iteration of the loop?
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Independent practice explanation verified by the GateAI team. GATE is conducted by the IITs; question text follows the official paper.