Answer: Python Puzzler #2469

The answer is C. The program prints:

melon

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 -3 means item number 3 from the end.

Trace table

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

positionnegative positionitem
0-4pear
1-3melon
2-2apple
3-1grape

The code again

basket = ["pear", "melon", "apple", "grape"]
print(basket[-3])

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