Final answer:
The approximate number of computer programming jobs in 2015 would be approximately 172.5 thousand (Option D).
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the approximate number of computer programming jobs in 2015, we need to calculate the annual growth rate and apply it to the initial number of jobs. The annual growth rate is given as 15%. We can calculate the number of jobs in 2015 as follows:
Number of jobs in 2015 = Number of jobs in 2010 * (1 + growth rate) ^ number of years
Number of jobs in 2015 = 120,000 * (1 + 0.15) ^ 5
Number of jobs in 2015 ≈ 172,548
Therefore, the approximate number of computer programming jobs in 2015 would be approximately 172.5 thousand (Option D).