What does this hashing code print?

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

First, let's understand what the code does. It computes a SHA-256 hash of the string 'python', then takes the hexadecimal digest and slices the first 6 characters. This results in a six-character hexadecimal string, not the word 'python', not an error, and not an encryption with Fernet.

Option: 'python' — This would be the original text, not the hashed output. Hashing is a one-way transformation, so the raw input is not what gets printed.

Option: 'Error' — The snippet shown is valid Python syntax using the hashlib module. Unless there is an environment issue or a typo, it will not raise an error. Therefore, this option describes something that wouldn’t occur here.

Option: 'None' — The print statement outputs a string (the hex digest). It does not print a Python 'None' value, which would imply no return or a function returning None.

Option: 'Encrypted string with Fernet' — Fernet encryption is a separate process from hashing. The code uses hashlib.sha256, which performs hashing, not symmetric encryption. So this option is incorrect.

Option: 'A 6-character hex string like “a7b3f1”' — This matches the actual output pattern: a 6-character string comprised of hexadecimal digits (0-9, a-f) derived from the SHA-256 digest cut to length 6. While the exact six characters depend on the hash, the form is correct: a short hex string.

In summary, the code produces a short hex representation of the SHA-256 digest of the input, yielding a six-character hexadecimal string. The other options describe outputs or processes that do not align with hashing SHA-256 and slicing behavior.

IS 4485-001 Fall 2025 Final Exam Practice 2

What does this hashing code print?

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