Question

Which situation best represents causation?

A) When the number of bus stops increases, the number of car sales decreases.
B) When fewer firefighters report a house fire, the damage caused by the fire decreases.
C) When ice cream sales increase, the incidence of sunburn increases.
D) When it rains several inches, the water level of the lake increases.

Answer 1

The best example of causation provided is the one where rain increases resulting in a higher water level in the lake, illustrating a direct cause-and-effect relationship.

Step-by-step explanation:

The situation that best represents causation is when it rains several inches, the water level of the lake increases. This demonstrates a direct cause-and-effect relationship where the increase in rainfall leads to a rise in the lake's water level. Unlike other options, this situation doesn't imply a correlation that could be caused by a third variable; rather, it shows a straightforward causal link.

To distill this concept, consider the ceteris paribus assumption. For instance, an increase in price typically leads to a decrease in the quantity consumers will buy, assuming all other factors like income remain the same. When we isolate each factor and observe their effects independently, this helps in establishing a clearer connection between cause and effect, free from external influences.