Quick Answer
The answer is 'hEllO wOrld'. This result is produced because `str.maketrans(vowels, vowels.upper())` builds a translation table that maps each lowercase vowel in the string 'aeiou' to its uppercase counterpart, and the `translate()` method then applies that mapping exclusively to the vowels in the target string, leaving consonants and spaces untouched. On the Certified Associate Python Programmer PCAP exam, this question tests your understanding of string transformation methods and the distinction between `maketrans` (which creates the mapping) and `translate` (which performs the replacement). A common trap is forgetting that `maketrans` requires two equal-length strings for a one-to-one mapping, or assuming it modifies the original string in place. To remember the behavior, think of vowels as the only characters "invited to the uppercase party"—consonants stay lowercase.
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.
A developer wants to replace all vowels in a string with their corresponding uppercase letters. They wrote: `s = 'hello world'`; `vowels = 'aeiou'`; `trans = str.maketrans(vowels, vowels.upper())`; `result = s.translate(trans)`. What is the value of `result`?
'HEllO WOrld'
Why wrong: Incorrectly capitalizes 'h' and 'w'.
'hEllO wOrld'
Correct: vowels uppercase.
'H@ll@ W@rld'
Why wrong: Completely wrong transformation.
'hello world'
Why wrong: No translation applied; wrong.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
'hEllO wOrld'
The `str.maketrans(vowels, vowels.upper())` creates a translation table mapping each lowercase vowel to its uppercase equivalent. The `translate()` method then replaces only the vowels in the original string, leaving all other characters unchanged. In 'hello world', the vowels 'e', 'o', 'o' become 'E', 'O', 'O', resulting in 'hEllO wOrld' — note that the first 'h' and 'w' remain lowercase because they are consonants.
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.
'HEllO WOrld'
Why it's wrong here
Incorrectly capitalizes 'h' and 'w'.
'hEllO wOrld'
Why this is correct
Correct: vowels uppercase.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
'H@ll@ W@rld'
Why it's wrong here
Completely wrong transformation.
'hello world'
Why it's wrong here
No translation applied; wrong.
Common exam traps
Python Institute often tests the distinction between `str.maketrans()` and `str.replace()`, and the trap here is that candidates mistakenly think all letters are affected or that the mapping applies to consonants, when in fact only the specified characters (vowels) are transformed.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, `str.maketrans()` builds a dictionary where each character in the first argument maps to the corresponding character in the second argument. The `translate()` method then iterates over the string, looking up each character in the table; if found, it substitutes the mapped character, otherwise it keeps the original. This is more efficient than manual replacement loops, especially for large strings, and is commonly used in text preprocessing for case normalization or character filtering.
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: 'hEllO wOrld' — The `str.maketrans(vowels, vowels.upper())` creates a translation table mapping each lowercase vowel to its uppercase equivalent. The `translate()` method then replaces only the vowels in the original string, leaving all other characters unchanged. In 'hello world', the vowels 'e', 'o', 'o' become 'E', 'O', 'O', resulting in 'hEllO wOrld' — note that the first 'h' and 'w' remain lowercase because they are consonants.
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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