Which statement best describes a routing protocol's main function?

• A. It assigns IP addresses to hosts
• B. It stores routing tables on hosts
• C. Protocols responsible for path determination and packet switching
• D. It translates domain names to IP addresses

Answer: (C)

Routing protocols determine the best path across a network and tell routers how to forward each packet toward its destination. They exchange information about network topology, compute routes using metrics (like hop count or cost), and populate routing tables with the next-hop to reach various destinations. This enables dynamic adaptation when the network changes and keeps data flowing efficiently from source to destination.

The other statements describe functions outside routing protocols: assigning IP addresses is done by DHCP, storing routing tables on hosts isn’t how routing protocols operate (routing tables are maintained by routers), and translating domain names to IP addresses is the job of DNS. So focusing on path determination and how packets are forwarded best captures what routing protocols do.