Which equation best represents the relationship among ability, skill, and technique?

• A. Technique = Skill + Ability
• B. Skill = Ability + Selection of Correct Technique
• C. Ability = Skill - Technique
• D. Technique = Ability × Skill

Answer: (B)

Skill is how well a movement is performed, and it comes from both your natural capacity (ability) and the technique you choose to use. Ability is your innate potential—things like coordination, balance, strength, and speed. Technique is the system of movements or method you apply to perform the task. Crucially, you're often faced with several possible techniques for a given task, and selecting the correct one for the situation is a key part of performing well. So the best equation expresses skill as the sum of ability and the selection of the correct technique: both factors contribute, and you need to have the right technique chosen to turn your ability into a skilled performance. If you only have ability or only technique, performance won’t reach its full potential. Other options misplace how these elements influence each other or imply a multiplication, which doesn’t align with how skill is described in this context. For example, in a tennis serve, your ability (strength, timing) plus choosing the appropriate serve technique (flat, slice, kick) together determine your skill in serving.