A test is a method or procedure designed to measure, evaluate, or check something. It often involves a set of questions, problems, or practical activities to determine a person's knowledge, skills, abilities, or the quality and performance of an object or system
. Tests can be used in various contexts, such as:
- Education: To assess what a student has learned, often called an examination or assessment
- Science and Medicine: To examine substances, materials, or body parts to detect qualities, presence of diseases, or other characteristics (e.g., blood tests, crash tests)
- Technology and Products: To check the functionality, reliability, or quality of software, vehicles, or other products before release or use (e.g., alpha and beta software testing, crash tests)
- General Use: To try or experiment with something to see how it works or reacts under certain conditions
A key distinction is that a test usually has an expected result and is performed to confirm it, whereas an experiment explores unknown outcomes
. In summary, a test is a controlled way to verify or measure the attributes or performance of a person, object, or system through specific procedures or questions
