Quick Answer

The answer is Pto. This result comes from using string slicing with step, where the syntax s[0:6:2] extracts every second character from the string starting at index 0 up to, but not including, index 6, meaning it selects characters at positions 0, 2, and 4 — which are 'P', 't', and 'o'. The step value of 2 tells Python to skip one character between each selection, effectively giving you every other character in that range. On the Certified Associate Python Programmer PCAP exam, this tests your understanding of the extended slice syntax [start:stop:step], a common topic in the "Data Aggregates" domain. A frequent trap is forgetting that the stop index is exclusive, so s[0:6:2] stops before index 6, not at it. Another pitfall is confusing the step with the start index — remember, the step controls the jump size, not the starting position. A useful memory tip: think of the step as the "skip count" — a step of 2 means you take one, skip one, take one, skip one, like walking down a hallway and tapping every second door.