Answer: Python Puzzler #2785

The answer is B. The program prints:

apple

This answer was checked by running the program for real.

Why?

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

Trace table

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

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

The code again

basket = ["apple", "melon", "plum", "pear", "mango"]
print(basket[0])

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