AP CSA Unit 1.6: Compound Assignment Operators Practice
Share
Unit 1, Section 1.6
Day 6 Practice • January 12, 2026
🎯 Focus: Compound Assignment Operators
Practice Question
Consider the following code segment:
int x = 10;
x += 5;
x *= 2;
x -= 8;
System.out.println(x);What is printed as a result of executing this code segment?
What This Tests: Section 1.6 covers compound assignment operators (+=, -=, *=, /=, %=). These shortcuts modify a variable using its current value. Understanding them is essential because they appear frequently on the AP exam.
Key Concept: Compound Operators
x += 5; // Same as: x = x + 5;
x -= 3; // Same as: x = x - 3;
x *= 2; // Same as: x = x * 2;
x /= 4; // Same as: x = x / 4;
x %= 3; // Same as: x = x % 3;Step-by-Step Trace
| Line | Code | Equivalent | x |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | int x = 10; | - | 10 |
| 2 | x += 5; | x = 10 + 5 | 15 |
| 3 | x *= 2; | x = 15 * 2 | 30 |
| 4 | x -= 8; | x = 30 - 8 | 22 |
Output: 22
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Answer A (12)
This might come from doing 10 + 5 - 8 = 7 then something with *2. Order matters—trace each line sequentially!
Mistake: Answer E (30)
This forgets the last operation (x -= 8). After x *= 2, x is 30, but then we subtract 8 to get 22.
Increment/Decrement
Special Cases: ++ and --
x++; is the same as x += 1; or x = x + 1;
x--; is the same as x -= 1; or x = x - 1;
Related Topics
- Section 1.4: Assignment Statements
- Section 2.7: while Loops (often use ++)
- Section 2.8: for Loops (often use ++)
Difficulty: Medium • Time: 2 minutes • AP Skill: 2.A - Apply operators
Ready to Level Up Your AP CSA Skills?
Get personalized help or access our complete question bank
Premium Question Bank - Coming Soon! Schedule 1-on-1 Tutoring300+ Unit 1 questions • Expert tutoring • 5.0 rating