Final answer:
The general form for defining instance methods is 'accessKeyword returnType methodName(parameters) {}', with each component playing a specific role in the method's definition and accessibility.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct answer to the question "What is the general form of defining instance methods?" is a) accessKeyword returnType methodName(parameters) {}. This format exemplifies how an instance method is defined in object-oriented programming languages, such as Java. An instance method is associated with an object, and it can access the instance variables and instance methods of that object. Here's a breakdown:
- accessKeyword: This is the access modifier, like public, private, or protected. It dictates the visibility of the method to other classes.
- returnType: This indicates what type of value the method will return after execution. If the method does not return any value, the void keyword is used as the returnType.
- methodName: This is the name given to the method, which is used to call it.
- parameters: This is the list of arguments that the method accepts. These arguments allow the method to receive input from the caller.