To answer this question, you need to understand the concept of a defect arrival rate curve.
A defect arrival rate curve shows the number of newly discovered defects per unit time. It represents the rate at which defects are being identified or reported during a specific period.
Option A) Shows the number of newly discovered defects per unit time - This option is correct. As mentioned above, a defect arrival rate curve represents the number of newly discovered defects per unit time.
Option B) Shows the number of open defects per unit time - This option is incorrect. The defect arrival rate curve does not represent the number of open defects. It only represents the rate at which new defects are being discovered.
Option C) Shows the cumulative total number of defects found up to this time - This option is incorrect. The defect arrival rate curve does not show the cumulative total number of defects found. It only shows the rate at which new defects are being discovered.
Option D) Any of these, depending on the company - This option is incorrect. The defect arrival rate curve is specifically used to represent the number of newly discovered defects per unit time and is not dependent on the company.
Therefore, the correct answer is A) Shows the number of newly discovered defects per unit time. This option is correct because the defect arrival rate curve represents the rate at which new defects are being identified or reported.