Final answer:
The real return on the investment is calculated by subtracting the inflation rate from the nominal return. With a nominal return of 11.7% and an inflation rate of 4.4%, the exact real return is 7.3%.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the real return on an investment, we need to adjust the nominal return for inflation. The formula to calculate the real return is:
Real Return = Nominal Return - Inflation Rate
Given that the nominal return is 11.7% and the inflation rate is 4.4%, we can plug these values into the formula:
Real Return = 11.7% - 4.4% = 7.3%
The closest answer to 7.3% provided in the multiple-choice options is 7.77%, which seems to be a rounding error in the options given. However, the exact calculation yields a real return of 7.3%.