What is the expected result of the following code? ``python rates = (1.2, 1.4, 1.0) new = rates[3:] for rate in rates[-2:]: new += (rate,) print(len(new)) ``

Question

rates = (1.2, 1.4, 1.0)
new = rates[3:]
for rate in rates[-2:]:
 new += (rate,)
print(len(new))

Options

• A1
• B2
• C5
• DThe code will cause an unhandled exception

• A
  8% (4)
• B
  74% (39)
• C
  4% (2)
• D
  15% (8)

Explanation

Option B is correct because rates[3:] returns an empty tuple () - Python slice operations never raise IndexError, even when the start index exceeds the sequence length. The loop then iterates over rates[-2:], which yields the last two elements (1.4, 1.0), appending each to new one at a time, resulting in a tuple of length 2.

A (1) is wrong because the loop runs twice (two elements in rates[-2:]), so two items get added - not one. C (5) is wrong because rates[3:] contributes zero elements to new, not three; adding the loop's two elements still only gives 2. D is wrong because tuple slicing with an out-of-bounds index is always safe in Python - it silently returns an empty tuple rather than raising an exception (unlike direct indexing like rates[3], which would raise IndexError).

Memory tip: Remember the "slice vs. index" rule - seq[3] on a 3-element sequence crashes, but seq[3:] just gives you (). When you see slicing in code, IndexError is off the table.

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