sorted() — Python Technical Interview Questions & Answers

sorted()

sorted()

  • sorted() is built into Python. You do not import it. Freshers only need one honest call and the printed result — not a long definition.
  • sorted() — output: [1, 2, 3] then ['A', 'a', 'h', 's']. New list, original unchanged.
  • Wrong type often raises TypeError. Empty values matter for bool/all/any. Don’t mix sorted up with a similar name (sorted vs sort, int vs float).

Technical Interview Tip: Call sorted() once and say what prints.

Code Examples for sorted()

Example

# sorted()
print(sorted([3, 1, 2]))
print(sorted("Asha"))

sorted() — output: [1, 2, 3] then ['A', 'a', 'h', 's']. New list, original unchanged.

How to Explain sorted() to an Interviewer

Explain sorted() as if you are teaching a junior — definition, then one tiny script.

sorted() is built-in — no import. One call + exact output.

What does the example print, and why?

sorted() — output: [1, 2, 3] then ['A', 'a', 'h', 's']

What mistake do freshers make with sorted()?

Wrong type → TypeError.