Final answer:
The statement V(2) = t expresses Erica's vertical distance as t kilometers after walking 2 kilometers along the trail.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement V(2) = t means that after Erica has walked 2 kilometers along the trail, her vertical distance from the top of the valley is t kilometers. This corresponds to option A: After she had walked 2 km along the trail, Erica's vertical distance from the top of the valley was equal to t kilometers. The function V(d) relates the distance walked, d, to the vertical distance from the start, V, so when d is 2 kilometers, the vertical distance V is t kilometers.