Choose the best definition of the term 'infer'.

• A. To analyze data
• B. To draw a conclusion from information
• C. To summarize a text
• D. To create a hypothesis

Answer: (B)

Inference is using clues and evidence to arrive at a conclusion that isn’t stated outright. It’s about reading between the lines and deciding what’s most likely true based on what is shown and what you already know. That’s why the best definition is drawing a conclusion from information: you take information and reason through it to reach an answer that isn’t explicitly stated.

Think of a simple example: if you see dark clouds, hear distant thunder, and grab an umbrella before leaving the house, you infer that a rainstorm is coming or is already happening. You’re not just restating facts you can see, you’re concluding what those clues mean.

This differs from analyzing data, which is about examining details to understand how something works; from summarizing, which is restating the main ideas in a shorter form; and from creating a hypothesis, which is proposing a tentative explanation before testing it. Inference sits at the point where evidence leads you to a conclusion.