Answer: Python Puzzler #2766

The answer is C. The program prints:

pear

This answer was checked by running the program for real.

Why?

Python counts list positions from 0, so position 2 is the third item.

Trace table

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

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

The code again

basket = ["carrot", "plum", "pear", "melon", "apple"]
print(basket[2])

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