Explanation:
The compilation of a C program goes through several stages:
Preprocessing:
- The preprocessor handles directives like #include, #define, and #ifdef.
- It replaces macros, expands header files, and processes conditional compilation.
Compilation:
- Converts the preprocessed C code into assembly language.
Assembly:
- Translates the assembly code into machine code (object file).
Linking:
- Combines multiple object files and libraries into a single executable.
Since preprocessing is the first stage in this sequence, the correct answer is (C) Preprocessing.