In C programming, consider the following code: #include <stdio.h> int main(void) { int x = 97; char y = x; printf("%c\ ", y); return 0; } What will this program print on a typical ASCII-based system?

Introduction / Context:
This question checks understanding of character encoding and type conversion in C. On most systems, characters are represented internally by integer codes such as ASCII values. When you assign an int to a char in C, the numeric value is converted to the corresponding character code. Using printf with the %c format specifier then displays the character associated with that code.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The integer variable x is initialized to 97.
• The char variable y is assigned the value of x.
• The program prints y using printf with the %c format specifier.
• We assume a normal ASCII-based character set where 'a' corresponds to code 97.

Concept / Approach:
In the ASCII character set, each printable character is associated with an integer code. For example, the uppercase 'A' has code 65 and the lowercase 'a' has code 97. In C, char is an integer type capable of holding such codes. When assigning x (97) to y (char), the integer value 97 is stored in y. When printf uses %c, it interprets the argument as a character code and prints the corresponding character.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Initialize x with 97, so x = 97.Step 2: Assign y = x; after this, y holds the numeric code 97 as a char.Step 3: Call printf("%c\", y); which treats y as a character code.Step 4: In ASCII, code 97 corresponds to the lowercase letter 'a'.Step 5: Therefore, the program prints the single character a followed by a newline.

Verification / Alternative check:
If you run a simple C program that prints printf("%d %c", 97, 97); you will see the output 97 a on an ASCII-based system. This confirms that code 97 is indeed mapped to the lowercase letter a. The behavior of assigning an int to a char and then printing it with %c is standard and does not cause a run-time error.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B is incorrect because %c prints a character, not a decimal integer; to print 97 explicitly, the format should be %d. Option C is wrong because converting from int to char is allowed in C; only narrowing or sign issues may occur when values are out of range, but 97 is within the valid range. Option D is incorrect because 97 is a well-defined value with a specific ASCII mapping, not an uninitialized or garbage value.

Common Pitfalls:
Beginners often confuse %c and %d in printf and may expect the integer to be printed even when using %c. Another pitfall is forgetting that the mapping between int values and characters depends on the character set; however, ASCII or extended ASCII is so common that values like 65 and 97 are widely recognized.

Final Answer:
The program prints the character a.