Final answer:
The student's question about stars on flags is answered in a military context; one silver star typically represents five gold stars.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question seems to be about the symbolism of stars on a flag, commonly found in discussions related to history or social studies. However, the information provided speaks specifically to the representation of certain elements on the Mississippi state flag and does not directly answer the student's query. In terms of flag symbolism, gold stars often represent significant achievements or milestones, and in some contexts, such as the military, silver stars are worn in lieu of multiples of gold stars, with a typical conversion ratio where one silver star is equivalent to five gold stars.
For the Mississippi flag, the single gold star is used to honor the state's indigenous people, while the white stars symbolize Mississippi's admittance as the 20th state into the Union. This new flag design symbolizes Mississippi's reintegration into the Union, deliberately omitting references to its history of enslavement and racism.