An inference is a conclusion drawn from ...

An inference is a conclusion drawn from ...

• A. Data and observations
• B. Opinions of others
• C. Evidence and reasoning
• D. Raw measurements

Answer: (C)

An inference is a conclusion you reach by considering the evidence and applying reasoning. When you observe or measure something, you use logic and your background knowledge to connect those facts to a claim about what happened or what is true. That connection—evidence plus reasoning—is what makes a conclusion an inference rather than just a restatement of data. Data and observations are the raw inputs that you examine; they provide the facts to work from. Opinions of others are subjective views that may not be grounded in the available evidence. Raw measurements are part of the evidence you use, not the final conclusion itself.

An inference is a conclusion you reach by considering the evidence and applying reasoning. When you observe or measure something, you use logic and your background knowledge to connect those facts to a claim about what happened or what is true. That connection—evidence plus reasoning—is what makes a conclusion an inference rather than just a restatement of data.

Data and observations are the raw inputs that you examine; they provide the facts to work from. Opinions of others are subjective views that may not be grounded in the available evidence. Raw measurements are part of the evidence you use, not the final conclusion itself.