In programming, which construct repeats the execution of a specific block of code a fixed number of times?

• A. While loop
• B. If statement
• C. FOR loop
• D. Switch case

Answer: (C)

When you need to repeat a block a fixed number of times, a for loop is the best fit. It is designed to run a block repeatedly for a preset count, using an initialization, a termination condition, and an update step so the loop executes exactly that many times. For example, typical usage runs the block with a counter from 0 up to N-1, giving you N iterations. This explicit control over the number of repetitions is what makes the for loop ideal when the exact count is known in advance or when you need to process a known number of elements.

By contrast, a while loop repeats as long as a condition stays true, which means the total number of iterations isn’t predetermined and can vary with runtime data. An if statement runs its block once when a condition is met, and otherwise does nothing, so it doesn’t handle repetition. A switch case chooses among several blocks based on the value of an expression and does not inherently involve looping.