What value is assigned to the variable ReferenceID in the following SAS code?

To determine the value assigned to the variable ReferenceID in the provided SAS code, it’s essential to understand how SAS handles string literals and spaces within them. In SAS, when text strings are defined, any spaces included within the quotes become part of the string itself.

If we consider the likely formatting that could exist in the code, the correct interpretation shows that '8257/' paired with a space and the numeral '1' results in the string '8257/ 1'. This implies that the space is intentionally preserved as part of the string assignment. Therefore, when assessing the choices provided, the option reflecting this formatting would indeed be '8257/ 1'.

The other options do not correctly retain the spacing or present the numeral format as specified in the string. For example, choices that might suggest different numeric representations or variations in space would not accurately reflect the intended assignment of the variable.

Thus, the value assigned to ReferenceID would be '8257/ 1', confirming the importance of recognizing spacing in variables assigned with string literals in SAS.