Final answer:
The unit of measure in Mr. Dion's study, which records the length of time students have played an instrument, is years. The correct option is D.
Step-by-step explanation:
Mr. Dion's study involves the length of time students played an instrument, which is a continuous, quantitative variable. The appropriate unit of measure, from the given options, for this type of data is years. The dot plot Mr. Dion used collects numerical data that denotes the duration, in years, each student has been playing their respective instrument.
Unlike the other options listed, years provide a specific measurement of time that allows the study to detail how long a student has been engaged with their instrument. The number of observations, number of students, or number of instruments do not represent a unit of time and hence would not appropriately measure the length of time. Therefore, the unit of measure used in the study is years.