In a switch statement, what is the purpose of the default case?

• A. It handles all values not explicitly matched by other cases.
• B. It executes only if no switch statement exists.
• C. It must be the first case.
• D. It assigns the return value.

Answer: (A)

The default case acts as a catch-all when none of the explicit cases match the switch expression. After evaluating the switch expression, the program checks each case label; if no match is found, the code in the default block runs. This is like the else part of an if-else chain, providing a fallback path for all other values. The default block is optional—if you don’t include it and nothing matches, nothing inside the switch executes. It can be placed anywhere inside the switch, though placing it last is the common convention. It doesn’t automatically assign a return value; you decide what to do inside that block.