Final answer:
The correct order of geologic eras from oldest to youngest is Precambrian, Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic, so the correct answer is 'b) Precambrian, Paleozoic, Mesozoic, Cenozoic.'
Step-by-step explanation:
Geologic time is organized into a hierarchy of divisions, starting with eons, which are further divided into eras.
From the oldest to the youngest, the eras of geologic time are as follows: Precambrian, Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic. Therefore, the correct answer to the student's question is 'b) Precambrian, Paleozoic, Mesozoic, Cenozoic.'
The Precambrian is not considered an official era but is often referred to as a 'super' eon encompassing the Hadean, Archean, and Proterozoic eons.
The following eras are within the Phanerozoic eon: the Paleozoic, which began around 541 million years ago and is noted for the 'Cambrian explosion' of life; the Mesozoic, known as the 'Age of Reptiles,' which lasted from 252 to 66 million years ago; and the Cenozoic, which is the current era, beginning 66 million years ago and continuing to the present.