Answer: Python Puzzler #2649

The answer is A. The program prints:

melon

This answer was checked by running the program for real.

Why?

Python counts list positions from 0, so position 4 is the fifth item.

Trace table

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

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

The code again

basket = ["plum", "carrot", "grape", "pear", "melon"]
print(basket[4])

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