IGDTUW 2025 — Computer PYQ

The correct answer is (c) Encapsulation.

Explanation

Encapsulation is a fundamental principle of Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) that involves bundling the data (attributes) and the methods (functions) that operate on that data into a single unit, known as a class. A key aspect of encapsulation is data hiding, where the internal state of an object is hidden from the outside world and can only be accessed through well-defined public interfaces (methods).

By restricting direct access to the internal data, encapsulation protects the object's integrity and allows the internal implementation to change without affecting the code that uses the object.

Conceptual Mathematical Model

If we define the total complexity of a class as $C_{total}$, it is composed of internal hidden implementation $I_{hidden}$ and the public interface $I_{public}$:

$$C_{total}=I_{hidden}+I_{public}$$

The principle of encapsulation ensures that the user of the class interacts only with the interface:

$$Interaction=I_{public}$$

This effectively hides the $I_{hidden}$ complexity from the end user, maintaining a clean abstraction.