What is the expected output of the following code? ``python 1 data = ['abc', 'def', 'abcde', 'efg'] 2 print(max(data)) ``

Question

1 data = ['abc', 'def', 'abcde', 'efg']
2 print(max(data))

Options

• Aefg
• Babc
• Cdef
• DThe code is erroneous.
• Eabcde
• FNone of the above.

• A
  78% (29)
• B
  5% (2)
• C
  3% (1)
• D
  11% (4)
• F
  3% (1)

Explanation

When max() is called on a list of strings, Python compares them lexicographically (like dictionary order, character by character using Unicode values), so it returns whichever string would appear last alphabetically - and 'efg' wins because 'e' is the highest first character among all four strings.

Options B ('abc') and E ('abcde') are wrong because both start with 'a', which ranks below 'd' and 'e'; the extra length of 'abcde' does not help since comparison stops as soon as a differing character is found. Option C ('def') starts with 'd', which is less than 'e', so it loses to 'efg'. Option D is wrong because the code runs without error - max() works perfectly on a list of strings.

Memory tip: Think of max() on strings as asking "who comes last in a dictionary?" - whichever string would be shelved furthest toward 'z' wins, and comparison always starts at the first character.

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