Memory leak takes place when a memory allocated from the free store is no longer needed and is not released by delete operator. One way this can occur is by reassigning a pointer before a delete operator had a opportunity to do its job:#include <iostream>int main(){using namespace std;// Delcare a pointerunsigned short * pPointer;// allocate a memory with a new operator on the free store // and assign a memory address to a pointer named pPointerpPointer = new unsigned short;// assign an integer value to a pointer*pPointer = 31;// print out the value of pPointer and its associated memory addresscout << "*pPointer Value: " << *pPointer << "\tMemory Address: " << pPointer << endl;// reassign a pointer to a new memory address from a free storepPointer = new unsigned short;// assign an integer value to a pointer*pPointer = 15;// print out a value of pPointer and its corresponding memory addresscout << "*pPointer Value: " << *pPointer << "\tMemory Address: " << pPointer << endl;// de-allocating memory back to the free storedelete pPointer;return 0;}OUTPUT: *pPointer Value: 31 Memory Address: 0x90e9008*pPointer Value: 15 Memory Address: 0x90e9018Analysing an output from a memory leak example: pPointer holds a memory address ( 0x90e9008 ) which points to an integer value 15. pPointer was reassigned with a new memory address by allocating a new memory from a free store. The original memory address which pointed to a value 31 is lost, and therefore, it cannot be released. pPointer now holds a memory address ( 0x90e9018 ) which points to an integer of value 15. Allocated memory with an address 0x90e9018 is de-allocated. Allocated memory with an address 0x90e9008 is released due to the program termination. C++
Topic: Pointers
Explain about memory leak caused by pointer reassignment ?
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