Final answer:
A loop using a counter variable will initialize the counter, test the condition, and then increment or decrement the counter. This forms the basic structure of loops like for-loops in programming.
Step-by-step explanation:
When using a counter variable in a loop, typically the loop will perform the following three actions: initialize the counter, test the counter, and increment/decrement the counter. This three-part process can either be carried out in three discrete steps or be combined into a single calculation that contains three conversion factors.
An example of this would be in a for-loop where the initialization (setting the start value), condition (test that must be true to continue the loop), and increment (update the counter value) are all included in the loop's definition.