What is the correct way to assign the sum of x and y to z while incrementing x by 1?

The correct answer is the option that uses the post-increment operator, which allows you to assign the value of x before it is incremented. In this case, z is assigned the current value of x plus y, and then x is incremented by 1. This means that if x was initially, for example, 5 and y was 3, z would be calculated as 5 + 3, giving z a value of 8. After this operation, x would be incremented to 6.

This approach distinguishes itself because it ensures that the original value of x is used in the sum with y, while still updating x afterwards. The significance of using the post-increment operator is critical in scenarios where the value of x is needed immediately for calculation before any increment takes place.

Other options do not properly achieve the intended result of simultaneously updating x and assigning the correct sum to z. They may either compute the sum incorrectly or fail to increment x effectively before the assignment. For instance, using pre-increment or different placements of parentheses would alter the order of operations and ultimately lead to different and unexpected results.