Answer: Python Puzzler #2498

The answer is B. The program prints:

carrot

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 -2 means item number 2 from the end.

Trace table

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

positionnegative positionitem
0-4pear
1-3melon
2-2carrot
3-1mango

The code again

basket = ["pear", "melon", "carrot", "mango"]
print(basket[-2])

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