Answer: Python Puzzler #2730

The answer is D. The program prints:

plum

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
0-5grape
1-4banana
2-3mango
3-2pear
4-1plum

The code again

basket = ["grape", "banana", "mango", "pear", "plum"]
print(basket[4])

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