PCEP Practice Question: Data Types, Variables, Basic I/O and Operators
A program prompts a user for their age using input(). Which line of code correctly stores the age as an integer?
⚠ Common exam trap
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.
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
✓
age = int(input("Enter age: "))
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.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
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
str() leaves the input as text, so age cannot be used in integer arithmetic without a further conversion. It tempts because wrapping input() in str() appears to formalise the prompt, and it would be correct where the value is genuinely textual, such as a name.
- ✗
age = float(input("Enter age: "))
Why it's wrong here
float() converts the input to a floating-point number, so age holds 25.0 rather than an int, failing the integer requirement. It tempts because it is the usual conversion for decimal input such as height or price, where fractional values are expected.
- ✓
age = int(input("Enter age: "))
Why this is correct
input() returns a string, so int() must wrap the call to convert the entered text into an integer before assignment. This satisfies the stem's requirement to store the age as an integer, enabling arithmetic rather than string concatenation.
- ✗
age = input("Enter age: ")
Why it's wrong here
input() returns a string, so age holds text and arithmetic or comparison against integers raises a TypeError. It tempts because it is the standard prompt syntax, and it would be correct if the value were only echoed back or concatenated as text.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.