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.
What is the result of the expression 'Hello'[1:3]?
'el'
Correct slice from index 1 to 3 exclusive gives 'e' (index1) and 'l' (index2).
'lo'
Why wrong: These are indices 2 and 3, not exactly [1:3].
'He'
Why wrong: Indices 0 and 1, not within the slice [1:3].
'ell'
Why wrong: This would require slice [1:4].
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
'el'
In Python, string slicing uses the syntax `string[start:stop]`, where `start` is inclusive and `stop` is exclusive. For `'Hello'[1:3]`, the indices are: index 1 = 'e', index 2 = 'l', and index 3 is not included, so the slice returns 'el'. This is a fundamental string slicing behavior defined in Python's sequence protocol.
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.
'el'
Why this is correct
Correct slice from index 1 to 3 exclusive gives 'e' (index1) and 'l' (index2).
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
'lo'
Why it's wrong here
These are indices 2 and 3, not exactly [1:3].
'He'
Why it's wrong here
Indices 0 and 1, not within the slice [1:3].
'ell'
Why it's wrong here
This would require slice [1:4].
Common exam traps
Python Institute often tests the off-by-one error in slice stop indices, where candidates mistakenly think the stop index is inclusive and select 'ell' (option D) instead of the correct 'el'.
Detailed technical explanation
String slicing in Python creates a new string object by copying the specified range of characters from the original string. The slice `[1:3]` uses zero-based indexing, where the first character 'H' is at index 0. This behavior is consistent across all sequence types (lists, tuples, strings) and is defined in the Python Language Reference under sequence operations. A common real-world use is extracting substrings from log files or user input without modifying the original string.
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: 'el' — In Python, string slicing uses the syntax `string[start:stop]`, where `start` is inclusive and `stop` is exclusive. For `'Hello'[1:3]`, the indices are: index 1 = 'e', index 2 = 'l', and index 3 is not included, so the slice returns 'el'. This is a fundamental string slicing behavior defined in Python's sequence protocol.
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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