The ____________ fstream member function closes a file stream. Explain why it is best to close a file when the program is through processing the data in the file.

a) close( )
b) overloaded operator <<( )
c) open( )
d) eof( )
e) flush( )

a) close( )

Part a) close() is used without argument to close the file to prevent file corruption, a possibility if the program terminates abnormally. Part b) has nothing to do with opening a file. Part c) opens a file stream and connects it to a physical file. The argument is a C-string constant or variable. Part d) returns a type bool value of true if the file pointer has attempted to read at end of file. (To read beyond end of file is an error.) Part e) flush( ) is used without argument to write the file buffer out to the physical medium.