Final answer:
Maria used inductive reasoning to conclude that a woman wearing red shoes in line was a performer, based on her observation that all performers at the musical wore red shoes.
Step-by-step explanation:
Maria determined that the woman waiting in line was a performer through inductive reasoning. Inductive reasoning is the type of logical thinking that uses related observations to arrive at a general conclusion. In this case, Maria noticed that all performers in the musical were wearing red shoes, and when she saw a woman wearing red shoes in the restroom line, she inferred that she must be one of the performers. This inference is based on observing a specific instance and generalizing it to a broader conclusion.