Which statement about iterators and traversal is true?

• A. Iterators provide a standard way to traverse elements in a container.
• B. Iterators store all elements in an array.
• C. Iterators automatically sort elements as they are traversed.
• D. Iterators require a full copy of the list to traverse.

Answer: (A)

Iterators are a way to walk through a container in a consistent, uniform manner. They provide a standard interface to visit elements one by one, regardless of how the container is implemented, so algorithms can operate on any container that offers iterators. They don’t store all elements themselves; instead, they hold a reference or pointer into the container and advance from one element to the next. They don’t sort elements automatically—that’s a separate operation—and they don’t require making a full copy of the list to traverse. Because of these characteristics, providing a standard traversal mechanism is the true, best description of what iterators enable.