Final answer:
After calculating the scores based on the provided point system, Mya has the higher score with 90 points compared to Justin's 70 points.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine who has the higher score between Justin and Mya in the 7th-grade science competition, we will calculate the scores based on the given points for correct and incorrect answers. Justin has 13 correct answers and 4 incorrect answers. For every correct answer, contestants receive +6 points, and for every incorrect answer, they receive -2 points. So, Justin's score can be calculated as follows:
Justin's score = (13 × +6) + (4 × -2) = 78 - 8 = 70 points
Mya has 17 correct answers and 6 incorrect answers. Using the same calculation method, Mya's score would be:
Mya's score = (17 × +6) + (6 × -2) = 102 - 12 = 90 points
Comparing the two, Mya has a higher score than Justin. Therefore, the answer is b) Mya.