This PCEP practice question tests your understanding of data types, variables, basic i/o and operators. 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 program prompts a user for their age using input(). Which line of code correctly stores the age as an integer?
age = str(input("Enter age: "))
Why wrong: This converts to string (input already returns string).
age = float(input("Enter age: "))
Why wrong: This converts to float, not int.
age = int(input("Enter age: "))
Correctly converts input string to integer.
age = input("Enter age: ")
Why wrong: This stores a string, not an integer.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
age = int(input("Enter age: "))
Option C is correct because the `int()` function explicitly converts the string returned by `input()` into an integer, which is required for storing a numeric age value. The `input()` function always returns a string in Python, so without conversion, arithmetic operations would fail or produce unexpected results.
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.
age = str(input("Enter age: "))
Why it's wrong here
This converts to string (input already returns string).
age = float(input("Enter age: "))
Why it's wrong here
This converts to float, not int.
age = int(input("Enter age: "))
Why this is correct
Correctly converts input string to integer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
age = input("Enter age: ")
Why it's wrong here
This stores a string, not an integer.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often forget `input()` returns a string and assume the user's typed digits are automatically stored as a number, leading them to pick option D without any conversion.
Detailed technical explanation
In Python, `input()` always returns a string, even if the user types digits. The `int()` function parses the string and converts it to an integer using Python's internal integer representation (typically a 32-bit or 64-bit signed integer depending on the platform). If the user enters non-numeric input, `int()` raises a `ValueError`, which is a common runtime error that candidates must handle in production code.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A practitioner preparing for the PCEP exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
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FAQ
Data Types, Variables, Basic I/O and Operators — This question tests Data Types, Variables, Basic I/O and Operators — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: age = int(input("Enter age: ")) — Option C is correct because the `int()` function explicitly converts the string returned by `input()` into an integer, which is required for storing a numeric age value. The `input()` function always returns a string in Python, so without conversion, arithmetic operations would fail or produce unexpected results.
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 25, 2026
This PCEP 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 PCEP exam.
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