Assignment operators in C - Practice Problems & Coding Challenges

Challenge - 5 Problems

❓ Predict Output

intermediate

Output of compound assignment with addition

What is the output of this C code snippet?

C

int main() {
    int a = 5;
    a += 3;
    printf("%d", a);
    return 0;
}

A 8

B 3

C 0

D 5

💡 Hint

The += operator adds the right value to the left variable.

The operator 'a += 3' adds 3 to the current value of a (which is 5), so a becomes 8.

❓ Predict Output

intermediate

Result of bitwise AND assignment

What will be printed by this C program?

C

int main() {
    int x = 12;  // binary 1100
    x &= 5;      // binary 0101
    printf("%d", x);
    return 0;
}

A 12

B 5

C 4

D 1

💡 Hint

Bitwise AND compares each bit of two numbers and returns 1 only if both bits are 1.

12 (1100) & 5 (0101) = 0100 which is 4 in decimal.

❓ Predict Output

advanced

Output of chained assignment with multiplication

What is the output of this code?

C

int main() {
    int a = 2, b = 3, c = 4;
    a *= b *= c;
    printf("%d %d %d", a, b, c);
    return 0;
}

A 6 12 4

B 24 12 4

C 8 12 4

D 24 7 4

💡 Hint

Remember that assignment operators return the assigned value and evaluate right to left.

First, b *= c means b = 3 * 4 = 12. Then a *= b means a = 2 * 12 = 24. c remains 4.

❓ Predict Output

advanced

Effect of division assignment on float variable

What will this program print?

C

int main() {
    float f = 10.0f;
    f /= 4;
    printf("%.2f", f);
    return 0;
}

A 2.50

B 2.00

C 2.40

D 2.45

💡 Hint

Division assignment divides the variable by the right value and stores the result.

10.0 divided by 4 is 2.5, printed with two decimals as 2.50.

❓ Predict Output

expert

Final value after multiple compound assignments

What is the final value of variable x after running this code?

C

int main() {
    int x = 1;
    x += 2;
    x *= 3;
    x -= 4;
    x /= 2;
    printf("%d", x);
    return 0;
}

A 3

B 0

C 1

D 2

💡 Hint

Apply each assignment operator step by step in order.

x starts at 1, then x += 2 → 3, x *= 3 → 9, x -= 4 → 5, x /= 2 → 2 (integer division).