Challenge type: Python Puzzlers · Difficulty: ★★★☆☆ Medium · Topic: lists
Read this Python program carefully. Don’t run it yet! Can you work out exactly what it prints?
scores = [43, 8, 40, 18, 38, 4]
scores.sort(reverse=True)
print(scores)Choose an answer
| Choice | Output |
|---|---|
| A | [43, 8, 40, 18, 38, 4] |
| B | [4, 8, 18, 38, 40, 43] |
| C | [43, 40, 38, 18, 8, 4] |
| D | [4, 8, 18, 38, 40] |
Need a hint?
Pretend you are the computer. Go through the program one line at a time, and write down every variable’s value on paper as it changes. Programmers call this a trace.
Grown-ups: Reading code and predicting what it does is a key programming skill. Once your child has chosen an answer, run the code in IDLE together to check.
For teachers and grown-ups
Skills practised: Code reading, tracing variables, and understanding Python syntax.
The big idea: Predicting a program's output before running it builds a solid mental model of how code works.
Questions to ask:
- What is the value of each variable after every line?
- Which line decides the output?
- What small change would make it print something different?
Take it further: Children use a trace table on paper for the code, then run it in IDLE to check, and change one value to make a new puzzle for a friend.