Answer: Python Puzzler #3383

The answer is A. The program prints:

56

This answer was checked by running the program for real.

Why?

The loop remembers the biggest number it has seen so far, and replaces it whenever it finds a bigger one. This is how computers find the maximum.

Trace table

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

nn > biggest?biggest
18yes18
16no18
56yes56
39no56
28no56

The code again

numbers = [18, 16, 56, 39, 28]
biggest = 0
for n in numbers:
    if n > biggest:
        biggest = n
print(biggest)

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