Solution

The correct answer is Option 3.

Key Points

• A data member of a class can be declared as static and is normally used to maintain values common to the entire class.
• A friend function can be invoked like a normal function without the help of any object.
• The scope resolution operator (::) cannot be overloaded like normal operators.
• Multiple inheritance may lead to duplication of inherited members from a "Grandparent" base class. This may be avoided by making the common base class a virtual base class.

Additional Information

• The scope resolution operator (::) is used to define the scope of a function or a variable in C++.
• While most operators can be overloaded in C++, the scope resolution operator (::) is one of the few exceptions that cannot be overloaded.
• This restriction helps in maintaining the clarity and unambiguous usage of the scope resolution operator.