Home โบ Problems โบ Sorting doesn't return a new list
Sorting doesn't return a new list
๐ง Predict the output Topic: sorting Difficulty: medium Premium
What this problem practises
The two sorting APIs are not interchangeable: sorted() returns a brand-new list while list.sort() sorts in place and returns None. Key functions compare the values they extract, and comparing mixed types raises TypeError.
This is an output-prediction problem: read the snippet carefully and write down exactly what it prints before anything runs. These questions are interview staples because they test whether you know the language rules, or merely recognise their syntax.
Difficulty: medium โ expect to hold two interacting rules in your head at once, such as a boundary combined with a mutation.
The challenge
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