This PCAP practice question tests your understanding of strings. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
s = "Hello World"
try:
s[12] = 'x'
except TypeError:
print("TypeError")
except IndexError:
print("IndexError")Refer to the exhibit. What is the output?
s = "Hello World"
try:
s[12] = 'x'
except TypeError:
print("TypeError")
except IndexError:
print("IndexError")IndexError
Why wrong: IndexError would be raised for out-of-range access, but assignment triggers TypeError.
No output
Why wrong: An exception is caught and printed.
Hello World
Why wrong: The assignment fails; no output of the string.
TypeError
Correct because strings do not support item assignment.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
TypeError
Option D is correct because the code attempts to concatenate a string ('Hello ') with an integer (123) using the '+' operator. In Python, this raises a TypeError, as the '+' operator for strings expects both operands to be strings. The error message would be 'TypeError: can only concatenate str (not "int") to str'.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
IndexError
Why it's wrong here
IndexError would be raised for out-of-range access, but assignment triggers TypeError.
No output
Why it's wrong here
An exception is caught and printed.
Hello World
Why it's wrong here
The assignment fails; no output of the string.
TypeError
Why this is correct
Correct because strings do not support item assignment.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Python Institute often tests the misconception that Python will implicitly convert an integer to a string during concatenation, leading candidates to expect 'Hello 123' instead of a TypeError.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
The assignment fails; no output of the string.
Detailed technical explanation
In Python, the '+' operator is overloaded: for numeric types it performs addition, for sequences (like strings) it performs concatenation, but only if both operands are of the same type. This is enforced by Python's strong dynamic typing — implicit type coercion (like converting int to str) does not happen. A real-world scenario is when processing user input: if you read a number via input() (which returns a string) and try to concatenate it with another string, it works, but if you forget to convert an integer variable, you get a TypeError.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
What to study next
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FAQ
Strings — This question tests Strings — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: TypeError — Option D is correct because the code attempts to concatenate a string ('Hello ') with an integer (123) using the '+' operator. In Python, this raises a TypeError, as the '+' operator for strings expects both operands to be strings. The error message would be 'TypeError: can only concatenate str (not "int") to str'.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026
This PCAP practice question is part of Courseiva's free Python Institute certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the PCAP exam.
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