Tuple unpacking in Python - Practice Problems & Coding Challenges

Challenge - 5 Problems

❓ Predict Output

intermediate

Output of nested tuple unpacking

What is the output of this Python code?

Python

data = (1, (2, 3), 4)
a, (b, c), d = data
print(a, b, c, d)

A 1 (2, 3) 4

B 1 2 3 4

C 1 2 (3, 4)

D Error: cannot unpack

💡 Hint

Remember that nested tuples can be unpacked by matching the structure.

The tuple data has three elements: 1, (2, 3), and 4. The unpacking assigns 1 to a, (2, 3) to (b, c), and 4 to d. Then b and c get 2 and 3 respectively.

❓ Predict Output

intermediate

Unpacking with star expression

What will be printed by this code?

Python

t = (10, 20, 30, 40, 50)
a, *b, c = t
print(a, b, c)

A 10 [20, 30, 40] 50

B 10 (20, 30, 40) 50

C Error: cannot unpack more than one star expression

D 10 [20, 30, 40, 50] None

💡 Hint

The star expression collects all middle elements as a list.

The first element 10 is assigned to a, the last element 50 to c, and the middle elements [20, 30, 40] are collected into list b.

🧠 Conceptual

advanced

Error type from wrong unpacking

What error does this code raise when run?

Python

x, y = (1, 2, 3)

A TypeError: cannot unpack non-iterable int object

B No error, x=1, y=2

C SyntaxError: invalid syntax

D ValueError: too many values to unpack (expected 2)

💡 Hint

Check how many values are on the right vs variables on the left.

The tuple has 3 values but only 2 variables to unpack into, so Python raises a ValueError about too many values.

❓ Predict Output

advanced

Unpacking with nested star expressions

What is the output of this code?

Python

a, *b, (c, d) = (1, 2, 3, (4, 5))
print(a, b, c, d)

A SyntaxError: multiple star expressions

B 1 [2, 3, (4, 5)] None None

C 1 [2, 3] 4 5

D 1 [2] 3 (4, 5)

💡 Hint

The star expression collects all elements except first and last, last is a tuple unpacked into c and d.

a gets 1, b gets [2, 3], and (c, d) unpacks the last tuple (4, 5) into c=4 and d=5.

❓ Predict Output

expert

Complex unpacking with multiple levels

What will be the output of this code?

Python

data = (1, (2, (3, 4)), 5)
(x, (y, (z, w)), v) = data
print(x, y, z, w, v)

A 1 2 3 4 5

B 1 (2, (3, 4)) 5

C ValueError: too many values to unpack

D 1 2 (3, 4) 5

💡 Hint

Match each variable to the corresponding nested tuple element.

The tuple data has 3 elements: 1, (2, (3, 4)), and 5. The unpacking assigns 1 to x, 2 to y, 3 to z, 4 to w, and 5 to v.