Catch me if you can!

What this C++ code-reading question tests

This is an easy C++ question that asks you to trace the execution of a code snippet and predict its output. It is the kind of fundamental language-knowledge check that firms use to verify you understand core C++ semantics and behavior, especially around less obvious edge cases or language-specific quirks.

Questions like this reward careful reading of syntax and knowledge of how the compiler or runtime interprets specific constructs. Rather than requiring complex algorithmic thinking, they test whether you can mentally execute code step-by-step, spotting subtle details that change the result. Interviewers often use them as warm-ups to establish baseline familiarity with the language.

• Type conversions and implicit casting
• Operator precedence and associativity
• Scope and variable lifetime
• Standard library behavior