PCEP Practice Question: Functions, Tuples, Dictionaries and Exceptions
This PCEP practice question tests your understanding of functions, tuples, dictionaries and exceptions. 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.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
A positional argument follows a keyword argument.
Option B is correct because in Python, when calling a function, all positional arguments must appear before any keyword arguments. The call `foo(y=2, 3)` violates this rule by placing a positional argument (`3`) after a keyword argument (`y=2`), which raises a SyntaxError. This is enforced by Python's parser to avoid ambiguity in argument binding.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
The function requires at least one argument but none provided.
Why it's wrong here
Arguments are provided; the error is ordering.
✓
A positional argument follows a keyword argument.
Why this is correct
In Python, positional arguments must come before any keyword arguments.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Keyword arguments cannot be used in function calls.
Why it's wrong here
Keyword arguments are allowed, but they must come after positional arguments.
✗
The function definition has too many parameters.
Why it's wrong here
The function definition is fine; it takes two parameters.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the rule that positional arguments must precede keyword arguments in a function call, and the trap here is that candidates may mistakenly think the error is about missing arguments or invalid keyword usage, rather than the ordering violation.
Trap categories for this question
Keyword trap
Keyword arguments are allowed, but they must come after positional arguments.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, Python's argument parsing in CPython uses a two-pass mechanism: first it collects positional arguments into a tuple, then processes keyword arguments into a dictionary. When a positional argument appears after a keyword argument, the parser cannot determine the correct mapping for subsequent arguments, leading to a SyntaxError. This rule prevents ambiguous calls like `foo(x=1, 2)` where it's unclear whether `2` should bind to `x` or `y`.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
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
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Functions, Tuples, Dictionaries and Exceptions — This question tests Functions, Tuples, Dictionaries and Exceptions — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: A positional argument follows a keyword argument. — Option B is correct because in Python, when calling a function, all positional arguments must appear before any keyword arguments. The call `foo(y=2, 3)` violates this rule by placing a positional argument (`3`) after a keyword argument (`y=2`), which raises a SyntaxError. This is enforced by Python's parser to avoid ambiguity in argument binding.
What should I do if I get this PCEP question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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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.
Question Discussion
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