Final answer:
The B & B algorithm's bounding operation helps to prune the search space in ILP problems by discarding nodes that cannot improve the best current solution, asserting the statement as true.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement about the branching and bounding (B & B) algorithm in the context of solving integer linear programming (ILP) problems is true. The purpose of the bounding operation within the B & B algorithm is to determine whether it is possible for a node (or a subset of solutions that node represents) to contain a better solution than the current best solution. If the bound is worse than the current best solution, that node can be eliminated or pruned, meaning that further exploration of that node's subtree is unnecessary. This significantly reduces the number of solutions that must be considered, thus eliminating the need to enumerate all integer feasible solutions.