How do you create a range of empty files named file1.txt to file20.txt?

The method to create a series of sequentially numbered empty files in a Unix-like shell is accomplished by using brace expansion. The correct choice utilizes the touch command, which is a standard command used for creating empty files or updating the timestamps of existing files.

When you use the syntax file{1..20}.txt, brace expansion generates the sequence of filenames from file1.txt to file20.txt. The shell interprets this and expands it into a list of individual touch commands to create each file. As a result, using touch file{1..20}.txt effectively creates all twenty files in one operation without the need for a loop or multiple commands. This is both efficient and concise.

The other options either do not follow the proper syntax for file creation in a shell or suggest methods that are not valid in this context. For example, simply stating to create files without using an appropriate command doesn't accomplish the task. The option mentioning "make files" lacks the context of a valid command in shell syntax, and the presence of spaces in other options breaks the syntax necessary for the shell to interpret the command correctly. This demonstrates the importance of understanding both command usage and shell syntax for successful file manipulation.