Which statement is true regarding linear regression?

The statement that linear regression is a predictive tool is accurate. Linear regression is fundamentally designed to understand the relationship between a dependent variable and one or more independent variables, allowing it to make predictions about the dependent variable based on the values of independent variables. By finding the best-fitting line through the data points, linear regression provides a way to estimate outcomes based on input values, making it widely used in various fields for forecasting and modeling.

In contrast, while it is possible to have multiple independent variables in a linear regression model, this does not apply to the dependent variable, as linear regression typically deals with a single dependent variable at any given time. Thus, the focus on using linear regression effectively hinges on its capability to serve as a predictive instrument, validating the correctness of the first statement.