What best describes a hypothesis?

• A. A guess made without any supporting evidence.
• B. A proven fact.
• C. A testable educated guess that explains a phenomenon and can be tested experimentally.
• D. A step in data analysis.

Answer: (C)

A hypothesis is a testable educated guess about how or why something happens. It offers a tentative explanation or prediction that can be investigated through experiments or careful observations. A good hypothesis specifies the relationship between variables and makes a measurable prediction so you can gather data to support or refute it. For example, you might hypothesize that increasing light exposure will boost plant growth, and then design an experiment with different light levels to see if growth changes as predicted. This makes it a proposal to test, not a proven fact. It’s also not simply a step in data analysis, but a statement you test with data.