Final answer:
A 2-for-1 stock split is most closely equivalent to b. a 100 percent stock dividend, as both result in the doubling of the number of shares held by each investor without altering the total value of the shareholder's equity.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question: 'Which one of the following is basically equivalent to a 2-for-1 stock split?' refers to actions that companies take to adjust the number of shares and the price per share in the market without changing the overall value of the company's equity. A 2-for-1 stock split means that for every share an investor currently holds, they now hold two shares, with the price per share adjusted to half of its pre-split value. The earnings through dividends and capital gains are aspects of the total return on stocks but are not directly tied to the mechanics of a stock split or dividend payments.
A 2-for-1 stock split is most closely equivalent to a 100 percent stock dividend, since it effectively doubles the number of shares outstanding without changing the total value of equity held by shareholders. Other options, such as a 200 percent, 50 percent, or 20 percent stock dividend, do not precisely reflect the doubling of shares that a 2-for-1 split represents.