Evaluate the expression when x is 4: x += x++ * ++x % 2;

x = 4

Expand the shorthand first: x += ... means x = x + (...). Java evaluates operands left to right, then applies precedence. The x on the left of + is read first: 4 x++ uses 4, then makes x = 5 (postfix: use, then change) ++x makes x = 6 and uses 6 (prefix: change, then use) Now apply precedence — * and % outrank +, and both associate left to right: (4 * 6) % 2 = 24 % 2 = 0 So x = 4 + 0 = 4 The final assignment overwrites everything the increments did, which is why x ends at 4 despite having been 5 and 6 along the way. Postfix versus prefix is the whole point of the question.