PCEP Practice Question: Functions, Tuples, Dictionaries and Exceptions
A dictionary student = {'name': 'John', 'age': 20}. To safely get the grade with a default of 'N/A', which code should be used?
⚠ Common exam trap
Python Institute often tests the distinction between safe dictionary access methods (`get()`) and direct indexing (`[]`), trapping candidates who think the `or` operator can short-circuit a `KeyError` or who invent non-existent methods like `fetch()`.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
student.get('grade', 'N/A')
The `get()` method of a dictionary safely retrieves the value for a given key, returning a default value (here `'N/A'`) if the key does not exist. This avoids raising a `KeyError` when the key `'grade'` is missing from the dictionary.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
student.get('grade', 'N/A')
Why this is correct
Correct: get returns 'N/A' if 'grade' is not present.
- ✗
student['grade']
Why it's wrong here
This raises KeyError if the key does not exist.
- ✗
student.fetch('grade', 'N/A')
Why it's wrong here
There is no fetch method for dictionaries.
- ✗
student['grade'] or 'N/A'
Why it's wrong here
This tries to access the key first; if missing, it raises KeyError before the 'or'.
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