Final answer:
A change in DNA sequence due to a mistake made by DNA polymerase during replication is known as a point mutation. This includes single base substitutions, which can result in various types of mutations, such as missense or nonsense, but when the error introduces or removes bases in non-multiples of three, it leads to a frameshift mutation.
Step-by-step explanation:
A change in DNA sequence caused by a mistake made by DNA polymerase during replication is known as a point mutation. This type of mutation includes the replacement of a single nucleotide base with another, which can lead to different types of point mutations, such as silent mutations, where the altered codon still codes for the same amino acid, or missense and nonsense mutations, which can produce a different amino acid or a premature stop codon, respectively. However, suppose the insertion or deletion of bases does not occur in multiples of three. In that case, it results in a frameshift mutation, which can alter the entire reading frame of the gene and typically leads to non-functional proteins.
In contrast, translocation refers to a type of chromosomal alteration where a segment of DNA is relocated to a different position within the same chromosome or another chromosome. This is not related to errors made by DNA polymerase during DNA replication. Therefore, the correct answer to the student's question is C) Point mutation.