In Python, when calling a function, all positional arguments must precede any keyword arguments. The provided code print(compute(j=2, 2)) violates this fundamental syntax rule. The call attempts to pass a keyword argument (j=2) before a positional argument (2). This specific ordering is not allowed and will cause the Python interpreter to raise a SyntaxError before the function can be executed, halting the program.

A. The error is a positional argument following a keyword argument, not the reverse.

B. The code will not execute due to the SyntaxError, so no calculation will be performed or output produced.

D. A SyntaxError is a fatal error that stops execution; the function is never called and therefore cannot return None.

1. Python Software Foundation, The Python Language Reference, Section 6.3.4. Calls: "If positional and keyword arguments are passed, all positional arguments must be placed before the first keyword argument. If a positional argument occurs after a keyword argument, a SyntaxError is raised."

Source: Official Python 3 Documentation

2. Python Software Foundation, The Python Tutorial, Section 4.8.2. Keyword Arguments: "In a function call, keyword arguments must follow positional arguments. All the keyword arguments passed must match one of the arguments accepted by the function..."

Source: Official Python 3 Tutorial

3. MIT OpenCourseWare, 6.0001 Introduction to Computer Science and Programming in Python, Fall 2016, Lecture 4 Notes: The course materials explain function arguments, specifying the rule that positional arguments must come before keyword arguments.

Source: MIT OCW 6.0001 Lecture 4 (The principle is covered in the lecture video and accompanying code files).