Final answer:
An inference is an explanation based on evidence from an investigation. It involves drawing conclusions from available data combined with personal knowledge and experience and is commonly used in daily life and scientific inquiry.
Step-by-step explanation:
Among the options provided, the statement that best describes an inference is 'An explanation based on evidence from an investigation'. An inference is a logical conclusion drawn from available data and one's own knowledge and experience. For instance, if you attend several classes in different academic departments and observe no minority students, you might infer a lack of diversity at the school; however, without comprehensive data, this remains an inference rather than a fact. Inferences can be made in everyday scenarios, like deducing a friend's recent travel destination based on their tan, or in science, where laws of nature provide a framework to infer how natural processes function.
In addition to everyday scenarios, in the field of scientific inquiry, inferences are invaluable. They allow us to draw conclusions based on observations and prior knowledge, like inferring the general properties of laws of nature without knowing specific details. Lastly, inductive reasoning is a form of inference where we generalize from specific experiences to predict future events or broad characteristics, such as disliking all beets based on past experiences, although it provides conclusions that are probably, but not necessarily, true.