What is likely the issue if a bulb on the 3rd floor has burned out?

A burned-out bulb typically indicates that the bulb itself has reached the end of its life cycle and is no longer capable of producing light due to the filament breaking or degrading. However, when considering the possible causes for this situation, the most logical conclusion is that the bulb itself simply burned out, rather than an issue within the electrical system of the building, such as shorted resistors, blown fuses, or loose wiring.

While those other issues could lead to problems in the electrical circuit, a burned-out bulb is generally an independent failure. A broken socket would prevent the bulb from lighting, while a blown fuse would cut power to the circuit entirely, causing all bulbs on that circuit to go out. Loose wiring could lead to intermittent connections or flickering but is not commonly associated with a single bulb burning out without other symptoms.

In examining the options, a shorted resistor is particularly unlikely, as this would normally indicate a failure in the circuit that would lead to a different set of symptoms completely. Therefore, while it’s understandable to consider the options, the state of the bulb itself as the primary failure point clarifies that option B does not correctly represent the typical situation of a burnt bulb. The bulb primarily failing is the most straightforward and natural explanation when