Which of the following statements about lists is true?

• A. Lists are immutable
• B. Lists can contain mixed data types
• C. Lists cannot be nested
• D. Lists cannot be empty

Answer: (B)

Lists in Python are a versatile data structure that allows for flexibility in storing data. One of their key characteristics is that they can contain mixed data types. This means you can have integers, strings, floats, and even other lists stored within the same list. For example, a single list could look like this: [1, 'hello', 3.14, [2, 3]], demonstrating the ability to mix different data types seamlessly.

This feature makes lists particularly useful for many programming scenarios where data of various types needs to be handled together. For instance, when working with complex entities where different attributes might be represented by different types (such as a person's name as a string and age as an integer), a list can effectively manage these variations.

The other statements about lists are not accurate for Python lists. They are mutable, meaning that their contents can be changed after they are created. Lists can indeed be nested, allowing for lists within lists. Additionally, lists can be empty, allowing for flexible initialization and population of data. Thus, the statement regarding the ability of lists to contain mixed data types is indeed true and reflects a fundamental aspect of how lists work in Python.