Management Information System (MIS) Practice Exam

Which of the following concepts allows a class to inherit properties and behaviors from another class?

1. A) Polymorphism

2. B) Abstraction

3. C) Encapsulation

4. D) Inheritance

The correct answer is: D) Inheritance

Inheritance is a core concept in object-oriented programming that enables a class to inherit properties and behaviors (methods) from another class. This mechanism allows for code reusability, as the child class, also known as the subclass, can access the attributes and methods of the parent class, or superclass. By doing so, it can also extend or override these attributes and methods, promoting a hierarchical relationship among classes. For instance, if you have a base class named "Animal" with properties like "species" and behaviors such as "eat" and "sleep," a derived class called "Dog" can inherit these properties and behaviors, allowing it to utilize them without redefining them. This approach simplifies maintenance and enhances the functionality of the program, making it easier to manage and understand. In contrast, while polymorphism refers to the ability of different classes to be treated as instances of the same class through a common interface, abstraction deals with hiding complex realities while exposing only the necessary parts, and encapsulation focuses on bundling data with the methods that operate on that data. These concepts contribute to the overall design and function of object-oriented programming but do not specifically address the inheritance of properties and behaviors from one class to another.