Assignment and augmented assignment in Python - Practice Problems & Coding Challenges

Challenge - 5 Problems

❓ Predict Output

intermediate

Output of augmented assignment with strings

What is the output of this code?

Python

text = "Hi"
text += " there"
print(text)

A there

B Hi

C Hi there

D Hi+= there

💡 Hint

Remember that += adds to the existing string.

The += operator adds the right string to the left string and updates the variable.

❓ Predict Output

intermediate

Value after augmented assignment with lists

What is the value of the list after running this code?

Python

numbers = [1, 2, 3]
numbers += [4, 5]
print(numbers)

A [1, 2, 3, [4, 5]]

B [4, 5]

C [1, 2, 3]

D [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

💡 Hint

+= with lists extends the list by adding elements.

The += operator extends the list by adding each element from the right list.

❓ Predict Output

advanced

Output of mixed augmented assignments

What is the output of this code?

Python

x = 5
x *= 2
x -= 3
print(x)

A 7

B 10

C 16

D 13

💡 Hint

Apply each operation step by step.

x starts at 5, multiplied by 2 gives 10, then subtract 3 gives 7.

❓ Predict Output

advanced

Error raised by invalid augmented assignment

What error does this code raise?

Python

a = 10
b = "5"
a += b

A TypeError

B NameError

C SyntaxError

D No error, output is 15

💡 Hint

You cannot add a string to an integer directly.

Adding int and str with += causes a TypeError because they are incompatible types.

🧠 Conceptual

expert

Effect of augmented assignment on mutable vs immutable types

Which statement is true about augmented assignment (like +=) in Python?

A += always modifies the object in place regardless of type.

B For mutable types, += modifies the object in place; for immutable types, it creates a new object.

C += always creates a new object regardless of type.

D For immutable types, += modifies the object in place; for mutable types, it creates a new object.

💡 Hint

Think about lists vs strings and numbers.

Mutable objects like lists are changed in place with +=, while immutable objects like strings and numbers create new objects.