Which liability typically represents short-term borrowing by a company?

Notes payable typically represent short-term borrowing by a company because they are financial instruments that formalize a company's promise to pay a specific amount by a specified date. Usually due within a year, notes payable are often used to finance short-term liquidity needs or specific purchases. They may be issued in connection with a bank loan or other forms of short-term financing.

In contrast, bonds payable and long-term debt generally involve longer repayment periods, typically extending beyond one year. Bonds are usually associated with larger amounts of capital raised from public or private investors for long-term financing, while long-term debt encompasses various forms of borrowing with repayment extended over several years. Loans payable can also include both short-term and long-term debt depending on their maturities, which makes them less definitive compared to notes payable in terms of representing short-term liabilities.