In C++ (recursion with a static index over a C-string), what does the following program print when searching for the character 't' in the message "Welcome to CuriousTab.com!"? #include<iostream.h> #include<string.h> class CuriousTab { char txtMsg[50]; public: CuriousTab(char *str = NULL) { if(str != NULL) strcpy(txtMsg, str); } int CuriousTabFunction(char ch); }; int CuriousTab::CuriousTabFunction(char ch) { static int i = 0; if(txtMsg[i++] == ch) return strlen((txtMsg + i)) - i; else return CuriousTabFunction(ch); } int main() { CuriousTab objCuriousTab("Welcome to CuriousTab.com!"); cout << objCuriousTab.CuriousTabFunction('t'); return 0; }

Introduction / Context:
This C++ program performs a recursive scan over a C-style string using a static index variable. It stops when the currently inspected character matches the target and then computes a value from the suffix length. The key concepts are pointer arithmetic, static local variables, and how pre/post increments affect the index used in expressions.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Message text: "Welcome to CuriousTab.com!" (length 26 characters).
• Target character: 't' (lowercase) appears first in "to" at index 8 (0-based).
• Function logic: compare txtMsg[i] to ch, then i is incremented due to i++.

Concept / Approach:
The expression txtMsg[i++] == ch compares the current character, then increments i. On the match at index 8, i becomes 9. The function returns strlen(txtMsg + i) - i, i.e., the length of the suffix starting at position 9 minus 9. If the total length is N, the suffix length is N - 9, so the return value is (N - 9) - 9 = N - 18.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Manually counting characters or printing strlen(txtMsg) confirms N = 26. The suffix beginning at index 9 ("o CuriousTab.com!") has length 17; 17 - 9 = 8, consistent with the formula.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• 6, 9, 15, 16: These ignore the effect of i++ in the condition or miscount the overall string length.

Common Pitfalls:
Forgetting that i is static (it persists across recursive calls), and misunderstanding that i++ increments after the comparison, so the returned expression uses i = 9 on the first match.

Final Answer:
8