PCEP Practice Question: Data Types, Variables, Basic I/O and Operators
Which two of the following are valid Python variable names? (Choose two.)
⚠ Common exam trap
Python Institute often tests the distinction between hyphens and underscores, as candidates mistakenly think hyphens are allowed in variable names because they are common in other contexts like file names or URLs.
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
✓
value_2
`value_2` starts with a letter and contains only letters, digits, and underscores, which satisfies Python's identifier rules. Python variable names must begin with a letter or underscore, and can include letters, digits, and underscores; `value_2` meets all these criteria.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
for
Why it's wrong here
Reserved keyword
- ✗
2nd_value
Why it's wrong here
Cannot start with a digit
- ✓
value_2
Why this is correct
Valid: underscore and digits allowed (not at start)
- ✗
val-ue
Why it's wrong here
Hyphen not allowed; use underscore
- ✓
_value
Why this is correct
Valid: underscore allowed
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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.