Final answer:
The equation to determine the distance a whale swims in 16 days, based on swimming 200 miles in 5 days, is represented by the proportion y= 200/5 x 16.
Step-by-step explanation:
The equation to find out how many miles a whale swims in 16 days, given that it swims 200 miles in 5 days, involves setting up a proportion based on the rate of miles per day. The correct equation is D: y= 200/5 x 16. This equation represents that in one day, the whale swims 200/5 miles, and you multiply that daily distance by 16 to find the total distance swum in 16 days.