What term captures the idea of an assembly designed to perform a defined function?

• A. System
• B. Assembly
• C. Unit
• D. Device

Answer: (A)

Think of a group of parts that must work together to accomplish a specific job. The word that best captures that idea is system. A system is an organized set of components whose interactions create a coordinated function, like the circulatory system moving blood or a lab setup where reagents and instruments work in concert to produce a result.

A device is usually a single tool or instrument designed to perform a task, not necessarily a network of interacting parts. A unit implies a single component rather than an integrated whole. An assembly is simply a collection of parts joined together, but it doesn’t by itself convey that those parts are interdependent and functioning together to achieve a defined purpose.