What will be the output of the following C++ code?

int x=3;
cout << (x << 2);
                        

Options

  • A. 6
  • B. 12
  • C. 9
  • D. More than one of the above
  • E. None of the above

Correct Answer (Detailed Explanation is Below)

B. 12

Detailed Explanation

Answer: (B) 12

The << operator performs a left shift.

The value 3 in binary is 0011.

Shifting it left by 2 positions gives:

0011 << 2 = 1100

1100 in decimal is 12.

For positive integer values, a left shift by one position is commonly equivalent to multiplying by 2, so shifting by two positions gives 3 × 4 = 12.