Python Slicing: Understanding List Manipulation

What is the result of slicing a Python list using the syntax my_list[:1:-1]? The output of print(my_list[:1:-1]) given the list my_list = ['jumbly', 'wumbly', 'number', 5] will be [5, 'number'].

Slicing in Python Lists

Slicing in Python is a powerful feature that allows you to extract specific elements from a list based on their index positions. The syntax for slicing is list[start:stop:step], where start is the index to begin the slice, stop is the index to end the slice (not included in the slice), and step is the interval between indices.

Explanation of the given slicing operation

To understand the output of my_list[:1:-1], let's break down the slicing operation:

  • my_list = ['jumbly', 'wumbly', 'number', 5]
  • Start: Not provided, defaults to the end of the list
  • Stop: 1, slicing stops before index 1
  • Step: -1, iterating backwards through the list

Elements included in the sliced output

Based on the operation, the elements included in the slice are:

  • Index -1 (last element): 5
  • Index -2 (second to last element): 'number'

The resulting output is [5, 'number']. Therefore, the correct answer to the slicing question is [5, 'number'].

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