3 Which must be true of any hypothesis for it to be useful in a scientific investigation? A It must be supported by data. B It must be used to develop a theory, C It must lead to further investigations. D It must be developed without depending on prior investigations.

## Step 1<br />A hypothesis is a proposed explanation for a phenomenon that can be tested. It is a fundamental part of the scientific method.<br /><br />## Step 2<br />The hypothesis must be testable, meaning it must be possible to design an experiment or make observations that can confirm or refute the hypothesis.<br /><br />## Step 3<br />The hypothesis must lead to further investigations. This is because the hypothesis is a starting point for further exploration and experimentation.<br /><br />## Step 4<br />The hypothesis does not need to be supported by data before it is proposed. The data will be collected during the experiment or observation.<br /><br />## Step 5<br />The hypothesis does not need to be developed without depending on prior investigations. In fact, prior investigations often provide a basis for the hypothesis.<br /><br />## Step 6<br />The hypothesis does not need to be used to develop a theory. Theories are developed after a hypothesis has been tested and confirmed.