What is defined as running a computer model over time to test or predict the behavior of a system?

The correct choice is simulation, which involves running a computer model over time to analyze, test, or predict the behavior of a system. This process allows for the exploration of how different variables interact within a model without the need to manipulate the real system directly. In computer science and various fields, simulations are crucial for understanding complex systems, as they can replicate scenarios that may be impractical, dangerous, or costly to observe in reality.

Simulation differs from analysis, which generally focuses on examining data and finding insights, rather than creating a dynamic model to predict changes over time. Modeling, while related, often refers more broadly to the creation of a representation of a system rather than the execution of that model over time. Verification, on the other hand, is the process of ensuring that a model accurately represents the system it is meant to depict, rather than utilizing it to study behavior over time.