If a function returns an unsigned integer, what kind of values does it produce?

If a function returns an unsigned integer, what kind of values does it produce?

• A. Negative numbers
• B. Non-negative integers
• C. Floating point numbers
• D. All integers

Answer: (B)

Unsigned integers store only non-negative values. A function that returns an unsigned integer can therefore produce zero or positive whole numbers; negative numbers can’t be represented by this type. It also won’t return floating-point values, since those are a different kind of number. Saying it returns all integers would include negatives, which isn’t possible with an unsigned return type. The exact upper limit depends on the bit width, but the essential idea is clear: only non-negative integers are produced.

Unsigned integers store only non-negative values. A function that returns an unsigned integer can therefore produce zero or positive whole numbers; negative numbers can’t be represented by this type. It also won’t return floating-point values, since those are a different kind of number. Saying it returns all integers would include negatives, which isn’t possible with an unsigned return type. The exact upper limit depends on the bit width, but the essential idea is clear: only non-negative integers are produced.