Answer: Python Puzzler #2467

The answer is C. The program prints:

banana

This answer was checked by running the program for real.

Why?

Python counts list positions from 0, so position 3 is the fourth item.

Trace table

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

positionnegative positionitem
0-5plum
1-4pear
2-3grape
3-2banana
4-1melon

The code again

basket = ["plum", "pear", "grape", "banana", "melon"]
print(basket[3])

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