Inspector Gadget

What this C++ code-observation question tests

This is a medium-difficulty question that asks you to trace through a C++ code snippet and predict its output. It rewards careful reading of language semantics, understanding of how the compiler and runtime interpret your code, and awareness of the edge cases where behavior becomes undefined.

To answer questions like this, you need to mentally execute the code line by line, tracking variable state and paying close attention to operator precedence, type conversions, scope rules, and memory safety. The question may hinge on subtle details: undefined behavior, unspecified order of evaluation, or a behavior guaranteed by the standard that many candidates overlook.

• Operator precedence and associativity
• Type promotion and implicit conversions
• Scope and variable lifetime
• Undefined and unspecified behavior in C++
• Order of evaluation and sequence points