An inference engine is
A) a strategy for searching the rule base in case-based reasoning.
B) the programming environment of an expert system.
C) a method of organizing expert system knowledge into chunks.
D) a strategy used to search through the rule base in an expert system by forward chaining or backward chaining.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

An inference engine is a component of an expert system that is responsible for reasoning and drawing logical conclusions based on rules and facts stored in the knowledge base. It uses either forward chaining, where the engine starts with the given data and reaches a conclusion, or backward chaining, where the engine starts with the required outcome and works backwards to determine what data is needed to reach that conclusion. Therefore, option D is the correct answer. Option A is incorrect because the strategy for searching in case-based reasoning is called a retrieval strategy. Option B is incorrect because the programming environment of an expert system consists of a set of tools and languages used to develop and maintain expert systems. Option C is incorrect because chunking pertains to the way information is processed and stored in human memory and is not directly related to an inference engine.

An Inference Engine Is