A farmer wants to find out which type of soil is best for growing his corn. He also wants to find out which type of fertilizer is best for growing his corn. He does the following experiment using two different types of soil and two different types of fertilizer:

What can the farmer conclude from this experiment?
Responses
A He can conclude that Soil B is the best soil for growing his corn.He can conclude that Soil B is the best soil for growing his corn.
B He can conclude that Fertilizer Y is the best fertilizer for growing his corn.He can conclude that Fertilizer Y is the best fertilizer for growing his corn.
C He can conclude that Soil B is the best soil for growing his corn and that Fertilizer Y is the best fertilizer for growing his corn.He can conclude that Soil B is the best soil for growing his corn and that Fertilizer Y is the best fertilizer for growing his corn.
D It is NOT possible to conclude from this experiment which soil is best for growing his corn or which fertilizer is best for growing his corn.

1 answer

The answer depends on the design and results of the farmer's experiment. If the experiment was conducted properly, comparing the yields of corn grown in both types of soil with both types of fertilizer, the farmer could potentially draw conclusions about the best soil and the best fertilizer based on the data obtained.

However, if the experiment lacks control or clear results, or if it did not adequately isolate the effects of each variable (soil type and fertilizer type), the farmer might not be able to definitively conclude anything about the best options.

Given the options, if the experiments were well-designed and clear experimental results showed distinct outcomes for soil and fertilizer, then responses A, B, or C might be valid conclusions. If the results were inconclusive or the experimental design wasn’t adequate, D would be the correct choice.

Without specific results from the experiment, the safest conclusion would be:

D: It is NOT possible to conclude from this experiment which soil is best for growing his corn or which fertilizer is best for growing his corn.