Final answer:
To assign a double variable to a float variable, the correct syntax is 'x = (float)d;'. This explicit casting ensures the double's higher precision value converted properly to a float.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question relates to type casting in programming, specifically assigning a value from one primitive data type to another. When you want to assign a double variable d to a float variable x, the correct syntax uses type casting to ensure that the double is converted to a float. The correct way to do this in many programming languages, including Java and C++, is option a: x = (float)d;. This syntax is necessary because a double has a higher precision than a float and the assignment requires an explicit downcast.
It's worth noting that option d, x = d; would only work in languages that allow implicit casting, or automatic type conversion, from double to float, which may result in a loss of precision without an explicit cast.