The print resolution or sharpness of output produced by a printer is commonly measured in which unit?

Introduction / Context:
When purchasing or configuring printers, one of the common specifications you see is the resolution, which tells you how sharp and detailed the printed output can be. Understanding the unit used to express printer resolution helps in comparing devices and choosing the right printer for text, graphics, or photo printing.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question asks about the unit used to measure printer resolution.
• The options include dots per inch, megabits per second, hertz, and inches.
• We assume that resolution refers to detail and clarity of the printed image.
• No calculation is required; this is a terminology question.

Concept / Approach:
Printer resolution is typically given in terms of how many individual dots of ink or toner the printer can place within a one inch by one inch area. The more dots per inch, the finer the detail and smoother the output appears. Therefore the unit is dots per inch, shortened as DPI. The other units listed relate to data rate, frequency, or physical size, not to resolution.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that resolution represents how many discrete picture elements or dots can be printed in a given space.Step 2: Note that for printers, this is usually specified along horizontal and vertical dimensions, such as 600 by 600 DPI.Step 3: Recognize that dots per inch directly describes how many dots appear in one inch of output.Step 4: Compare this with megabits per second, which measures data transfer rate, and hertz, which measures frequency.Step 5: Conclude that Dots per inch (DPI) is the correct unit used for printer resolution.

Verification / Alternative check:
If you look at specifications of common inkjet or laser printers, you will see entries such as 300 DPI, 600 DPI, or 1200 DPI. These numbers indicate how many individual dots can be printed per inch of paper. Monitor resolution, in contrast, may be given in pixels, but the principle is similar. Nowhere are megabits per second, hertz, or simply inches used alone as the unit for printer resolution.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Megabits per second is a unit of data transmission speed and is used for network connections, not for print quality. Hertz is a unit of frequency and applies to events per second, such as processor clock speed or refresh rate. Inches are units of length and describe the physical size of paper, not how many dots fit in that length unless combined with the dot count. Therefore these options do not correctly represent printer resolution.

Common Pitfalls:
A common error is to mix up DPI with other display or image related terms such as pixels per inch or screen resolution, or to confuse network speed units with printing features. Remember that for printers, DPI is the standard term and the higher the DPI, the finer the printed detail. Students should pay attention to whether a unit measures quantity per inch or activity per second.

Final Answer:
The correct answer is Dots per inch (DPI), which is the standard unit for specifying the resolution and sharpness of printer output.