Final answer:
The circuit is considered forward biased when the positive side of the battery is connected to the p-type material and the n-type is connected to the negative.
Step-by-step explanation:
When the positive side of a battery is connected to the p-type material and the n-type material is connected to the negative side of the battery, the circuit is considered to be forward biased. This configuration allows for the easy flow of electrons and holes, reducing the depletion layer and the potential energy difference across the p-n junction. On the contrary, if the positive and negative connections were reversed, it would result in a reverse bias configuration, which does not allow significant current to flow.