Final answer:
An index fund would be the best mutual fund for an investor seeking long-term growth that keeps pace with inflation without excessive volatility.
Step-by-step explanation:
An investor seeking long-term growth that keeps pace with inflation without excessive volatility would be best suited to invest in an index fund. An index fund is a type of mutual fund that seeks to mimic the overall performance of the stock market.
By investing in a broad range of companies, index funds offer diversification and reduce the risk of investing in any individual firm. As a result, index funds provide long-term growth potential while keeping volatility relatively low.