Question

Since 1900 life expectancy in the United States has increased by over 30 years. Which of the following is correct?

1) Life expectancy in the United States has decreased by over 30 years since 1900.
2) Life expectancy in the United States has remained the same since 1900.
3) Life expectancy in the United States has increased by less than 30 years since 1900.
4) Life expectancy in the United States has increased by over 30 years since 1900.

Answer 1

The correct answer is that life expectancy in the United States has increased by over 30 years since 1900, from an average of 47 years to about 77 years in the recent decades.

Step-by-step explanation:

Since 1900, life expectancy in the United States has indeed seen a significant increase. In 1900, the average life expectancy was around 47 years, but by the beginning of the twenty-first century, it had risen to approximately 77 years.

Despite some recent fluctuations due to factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic, which brought it down slightly to 77 years in 2020 from a peak of 79 years in 2015, there has been a clear upward trend throughout the twentieth century with most of the gains in life expectancy occurring during this period.

Therefore, the correct answer to the student's question is option 4) Life expectancy in the United States has increased by over 30 years since 1900.