Given the code fragment: int value = 10; int a = ++value; int b = value; int c = value++; if (a <= b && a <= c) { if (b <= c) { a = ++b; } else { a = ++c; } } System.out.println(a); What is the…

Question

Options

• A10
• B11
• C12
• D13

• A
  4% (1)
• B
  14% (4)
• C
  75% (21)
• D
  7% (2)

Explanation

Tracing through the code step by step: ++value pre-increments value to 11 before assignment, so a = 11; b = value copies the current value, so b = 11; value++ post-increments, so c = 11 and value becomes 12. The outer condition a <= b && a <= c evaluates to 11 <= 11 && 11 <= 11 - both true - so we enter it, and the inner condition b <= c is 11 <= 11 (also true), executing a = ++b, which pre-increments b to 12 and assigns it to a, giving a final printed value of 12.

Why the distractors are wrong:

• A (10) is the original value of value before any operations - a trap for ignoring all the increments entirely.
• B (11) is the value of a, b, and c after initialization - a trap for stopping before the if block executes.
• D (13) would require two increment operations to be applied to a, which never happens - the else branch is never reached.

Memory tip: For pre/post-increment questions, label each variable's value after every single line before evaluating any condition - rushing to the if without tracking state is exactly what these questions are designed to exploit.

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