Which of the following statements BEST describes the difference between testing and debugging?

The statement that best describes the difference between testing and debugging is the one highlighting that dynamic testing shows failures caused by defects, while debugging finds and removes the causes.

In this context, testing is focused on executing a system or application to find defects, which are deviations from expected behavior. Dynamic testing involves running the application to observe its behavior in action and identify any failures that occur during this process. These failures indicate that there are defects present in the application that need to be addressed.

On the other hand, debugging is the process that follows after defects have been identified during testing. It involves a systematic approach to analyze the root causes of the failures and implement fixes. This makes debugging a critical phase for software developers, where they trace the symptoms of failures back to their sources and resolve the issues, ensuring that the application functions correctly.

This understanding delineates both concepts effectively and reflects their interdependent yet distinct roles in the software development life cycle. Testing and debugging together contribute to delivering high-quality software, but they do so through different activities and focus areas.