Which type of reasoning uses specific observations to form general conclusions?

• A. Inductive Reasoning
• B. Deductive Reasoning
• C. Gerund
• D. Compound Sentence

Answer: (A)

Inductive reasoning is when you start with specific observations and reach a general conclusion. For example, if you notice several swans you’ve seen are white, you might conclude that all swans are white. This kind of reasoning builds a broad claim from particular cases and is often probabilistic—the general conclusion holds based on the evidence you’ve observed, but new evidence could challenge it. The other terms here aren’t about reasoning processes: a gerund is a verb form used as a noun, and a compound sentence is a sentence that links two independent clauses. Deductive reasoning, by contrast, starts with a general rule and applies it to a specific case, which is the opposite of what’s described in the question.