Which type of respiration produces carbon dioxide and water?

What the question is really asking

You are being asked to match the waste products to the correct kind of cellular respiration. The key clue is the presence of both carbon dioxide and water.

Linking products to the presence of oxygen

• Aerobic respiration happens with oxygen.
• Because oxygen is used as the final electron acceptor, it gets converted into water ($H_2O$).
• Carbon atoms from glucose are released as carbon dioxide ($CO_2$).

A common summary equation is: $$C_6H_{12}O_6 + 6O_2 \rightarrow 6CO_2 + 6H_2O + \text{energy (ATP)}$$

Quick contrast with anaerobic respiration

• Anaerobic respiration/fermentation happens without oxygen.
• It does not produce water as a main product.
• In animals: lactic acid forms.
• In yeast/plants: ethanol and $CO_2$ form.

Takeaway

If you see both $CO_2$ and $H_2O$, the answer is aerobic respiration.