What does the command 'ping' do?

The command 'ping' is used to test network connectivity between the host from which the command is run and a specified target, usually another computer or a network device. When you execute ping, it sends Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) Echo Request messages to the target and waits for Echo Reply messages. This process helps determine if the target is reachable over the network and measures the round trip time for messages sent from the originating host to the target and back again. Successful replies indicate that the network connection is active.

While 'traces the route to a network host,' 'displays the routing table,' and 'monitors network statistics' are all valid network command functionalities, they pertain to different commands or tools. For instance, the traceroute command is used for tracing the route taken by packets to reach a network host, while commands like netstat or ip route are used for displaying the routing table. Monitoring network statistics might involve commands like iftop or netstat in real-time. The specific purpose of 'ping' is indeed to test the connectivity, making the stated answer correct.