What is the output of the following command?
echo "3*2"
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3*2
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6
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syntax error
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Blank line
Reveal answer
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A
Correct answer
Explanation
The echo command simply prints the literal string to stdout without any evaluation. Since '3*2' is enclosed in quotes, echo outputs exactly '3*2' as text, not the mathematical result 6. Arithmetic evaluation would require $((3*2)) or expr in shell.
AI explanation
The shell's echo command simply prints its argument literally; it does not perform arithmetic. Because the string "3*2" is quoted, no filename globbing occurs and no multiplication is evaluated, so the output is the literal text 3*2. It would only print 6 if arithmetic expansion were used, e.g. echo $((3*2)).