Final answer:
Sections with reversed polarity at the mid-oceanic ridge are identified by negative inclination values in an IODP sediment core, which are then matched to the GPTS to deduce depositional ages and historical magnetic field changes. The correct option is b.
Step-by-step explanation:
The sections of the mid-oceanic ridge that have reversed polarity on the right side of the ridge can be identified by examining magnetic inclination data from an IODP sediment core. In such a core, periods of reversed polarity are represented by negative inclination values.
When you correlate these negative values to the Geomagnetic Polarity Time Scale (GPTS), you can determine the depositional ages of the sediments in the sediment core. Moreover, you can infer Earth's historical magnetic field changes and calculate the rate of seafloor spreading by studying the pattern of magnetic reversals and their distance from the ridge.
Hence, Option b is correct.