Character sets — A complete alphanumeric code typically includes 26 lowercase letters, 26 uppercase letters, 10 digits, 7 punctuation marks, and an additional set of special characters. Choose the most reasonable range for the number of these other characters.

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: 20, 40

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
Alphanumeric codes are used to represent letters, digits, punctuation, and various symbols in digital systems. Standards like ASCII and EBCDIC include not only alphabetic and numeric characters but also a range of special symbols, operators, and delimiters. The question asks for a reasonable range for the count of these additional characters beyond letters, digits, and a small punctuation set.

Given Data / Assumptions:

  • Fixed sets: 26 lowercase + 26 uppercase + 10 digits + 7 punctuation marks.
  • We consider typical general-purpose encodings (historical and modern).
  • Other characters may include currency symbols, arithmetic operators, brackets, quotes, whitespace variants, and control-related visible symbols.


Concept / Approach:
Traditional ASCII defines 95 printable characters, of which letters and digits total 62. The remaining printable symbols (including common punctuation) amount to several dozen, showing that a reasonable range for additional characters is a few tens rather than just a handful. Many practical code pages and extended ASCII variants include 20–40 or more extra visible symbols, fitting the broader need of programming, math, and formatting.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Account for letters and digits (26 + 26 + 10 = 62).Recognize that punctuation and special symbols together must cover brackets, arithmetic signs, quotes, slashes, backslash, underscore, and more.Conclude that a range of 20–40 additional symbols is realistic and commonly encountered.


Verification / Alternative check:

Compare to printable ASCII: total 95; removing 62 letters/digits leaves 33, which lies within 20–40.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:

5, 10 and 10, 15: Too small to cover common operators and delimiters.10, 20: Also restrictive given the breadth of symbols used in programming and documentation.


Common Pitfalls:

Assuming only punctuation marks are needed; many special symbols are essential for coding and notation.Confusing control characters (non-printing) with printable symbol counts.


Final Answer:

20, 40

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