5. In a poll, 800 people were asked how favorable they felt toward a certain bill proposed in Congress. The table above shows the number of those polled that responded in each of the five ways. What is the total percent of those who felt neutral, mildly unfavorable, or very unfavorable toward the proposed bill?
Answer: D
The total percent of those who felt neutral, mildly unfavorable, or very unfavorable toward the proposed bill is 65%.
To determine the total percent of those who felt neutral, mildly unfavorable, or very unfavorable towards the proposed bill, we sum the percentages of these three categories and find that they constitute 65% of the respondents.
A) 52%
This option is incorrect as it underestimates the percentage of respondents who felt neutral, mildly unfavorable, or very unfavorable. The actual calculations reveal a higher total, making this option significantly lower than the correct answer.
B) 58%
This option also miscalculates the total percentage of those who felt neutral, mildly unfavorable, or very unfavorable. Although it is closer than option A, it still fails to encompass the accurate total derived from the poll data.
C) 60%
While this option suggests a substantial amount of respondents felt neutral or unfavorable, it does not accurately reflect the calculated total percentage. The actual percentage exceeds this figure, indicating that more respondents expressed those sentiments.
D) 65%
This option correctly represents the total percentage of respondents who felt neutral, mildly unfavorable, or very unfavorable towards the proposed bill. The data from the poll verifies that this figure encompasses all relevant responses from the categories in question.
E) 72%
This choice overestimates the percentage of respondents who felt neutral and unfavorable. The actual total, derived from the provided data, is lower than this figure, making it incorrect.
Conclusion
The correct answer is 65% because it accurately captures the total of those who felt neutral, mildly unfavorable, or very unfavorable toward the proposed bill. All other options fail to meet this total, either by underestimating or overestimating the percentage of respondents. Thus, option D is definitively the most accurate representation of the data.