Final answer:
To design a subnet accommodating at least 600 hosts and having 50 subnets within a Class B network with a single mask, a /22 subnet mask is needed. This provides up to 1024 addresses per subnet and allows for up to 64 subnets.
Therefore, a /22 subnet mask is required.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student has asked for a subnet design that requires 50 subnets with the largest subnet accommodating a minimum of 600 hosts within a Class B network using a single mask. To determine the appropriate subnet mask, we start by calculating the number of bits needed to support at least 600 hosts.
We need a subnet mask that leaves enough bits for host addresses. To support 600 hosts, you need at least 10 bits for host addresses (2^10 = 1024, which is the nearest power of 2 greater than 600), which leaves us with 22 bits for the network and subnet (32 - 10 = 22). Therefore, a /22 subnet mask is required.
As a Class B network mask uses 16 bits by default, this means we need an additional 6 bits for subnetting (22 - 16). With those additional bits, we can have up to 2^6, or 64 subnets, which is more than the 50 required.
In summary, to meet the requirements of having 50 subnets and at least 600 hosts in the largest subnet, using a single mask in a Class B network, the /22 subnet mask is appropriate. For a public IP network, the specific network address would depend on the Class B network range allocated for use, but it would be followed by the /22 mask to denote the subnetting structure.
Therefore, a /22 subnet mask is required.