An engineer is reviewing notes to decide on a material for a new product. Which of the following statements represents an opinion rather than a piece of factual evidence?

Material X has a tensile strength of 400 MPa.

Material Y corrodes when exposed to salt water.

Material Z is the best-looking option.

Material W costs $15 per kilogram to source.

What is a likely outcome if an engineer ignores the process of gathering evidence and instead chooses a solution based on a guess?

The project is guaranteed to be finished under budget due to the faster decision.

The public's opinion of the engineering firm will automatically improve.

The chosen solution may fail to perform as needed.

The solution will work perfectly because experienced engineers have good intuition.

How many passengers can the system carry per hour?

What are the estimated emissions from the proposed buses or trains?

What is the total budget allocated for the project's construction?

Will the new transit stations be aesthetically pleasing for the neighborhoods?

The most popular choice among politicians

The most expensive and technologically complex

The personal opinions of the engineering team

The initial cost of the available options

Comprehensive evidence gathered through investigation

The popularity of a particular energy source