In software testing terminology, which of the following statements best describes the roles of Quality Assurance (QA), Quality Control (QC), test case, test condition, test script, test data and test bed?

Introduction / Context:
Software testing uses many related terms that describe different aspects of planning, designing and executing tests. Confusion between concepts such as Quality Assurance, Quality Control, test cases, test scripts, test data and test bed can lead to miscommunication and weak testing processes. Understanding how these terms fit together is essential for effective test management.

Given Data / Assumptions:

Quality Assurance (QA) focuses on defining and improving processes to prevent defects.
Quality Control (QC) focuses on inspecting and verifying the actual product to detect defects.
Test artifacts such as test case, test condition, test script, test data and test bed each have a specific meaning.

Concept / Approach:
QA is proactive and process oriented. It includes activities like process definition, audits, training and process improvement. QC is reactive and product oriented; it includes activities like executing tests, reviews and inspections to find defects. A test condition describes what should be tested, for example a requirement or a branch of code. A test case is a specific instance that defines preconditions, input data, steps and expected results to verify a test condition. A test script describes the exact steps to perform the test, either for a person or a tool. Test data are the input values and database contents needed to execute tests. A test bed (or test environment) is the hardware, software, network and configuration set up to run tests.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Identify which option recognizes QA as process oriented and QC as product oriented. Check whether the option explains a test case as a combination of inputs and expected results for a specific condition. Verify that the option defines a test script as a detailed procedure, test data as actual inputs and test bed as the environment. Option a satisfies all these criteria, connecting the concepts correctly. Other options either mix up meanings or give clearly incorrect definitions, so they can be rejected.

Verification / Alternative check:
Standard testing glossaries, such as those from ISTQB, give definitions that match the descriptions in option a. These definitions are used widely in industry, which confirms that option a aligns with common professional practice and terminology.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option b wrongly equates QA and QC, mislabels test cases, and treats the test bed as a physical office rather than an environment.
Option c incorrectly claims QA is only coding and that test cases and scripts are identical, which ignores clear distinctions.
Option d suggests there is no common understanding, which is not true given existing industry standards and glossaries.

Common Pitfalls:
Teams sometimes use QA and QC as interchangeable labels, which hides whether they are focusing on prevention or detection. Others fail to distinguish between high level test conditions and concrete test cases, making it hard to track coverage. Clarity about test data and test bed is also crucial; reusing uncontrolled production data or unstable environments often leads to flaky test results.

Final Answer:
The best description is that QA is process oriented, QC is product oriented, and test case, test condition, test script, test data and test bed play distinct roles in specifying what to test, how to test, with which inputs and in which environment, as summarized in option a.