Command A prints "the working directory is pwd" as it treats `pwd` as a literal string. Command B, using `$(pwd)`, correctly displays the current working directory in the output.
There is a difference in the output between the two commands:
A) `echo the working directory is pwd`
In this command, `pwd` is not enclosed within a command substitution syntax (`$(...)`), so it will be treated as a literal string. The output will be "the working directory is pwd."
B) `echo the working directory is $(pwd)`
Here, `$(pwd)` is a command substitution that executes the `pwd` command and replaces it with its output. The output will be "the working directory is [current working directory]."
In summary, option B will correctly display the current working directory, while option A will literally print "pwd" instead of the actual working directory.