Answer: Python Puzzler #2598

The answer is A. The program prints:

grape

This answer was checked by running the program for real.

Why?

A negative position counts from the end: -1 is the last item, -2 the one before it. So -1 means item number 1 from the end.

Trace table

A trace table follows the program step by step. Here’s this one:

positionnegative positionitem
0-5pear
1-4plum
2-3carrot
3-2mango
4-1grape

The code again

basket = ["pear", "plum", "carrot", "mango", "grape"]
print(basket[-1])

Try it: change one number in the program and predict the new output before you run it.