Which statement defines an operation in mathematics?

• A. A mathematical process that takes some values as inputs and produces an output.
• B. A fixed value that never changes.
• C. A symbol that represents a quantity.
• D. A rule that assigns outputs to inputs.

Answer: (A)

An operation in math is the process that takes inputs and produces an output. For example, adding two numbers uses the addition operation to combine inputs and get a result. The other descriptions refer to a constant (a fixed value), a symbol that represents a quantity (a variable), or a rule that assigns outputs to inputs (a function). The statement that emphasizes performing a process on values best captures what an operation is.