The New York City school system's total annual expenditures are more than which amount?

• A. Less than $5 billion
• B. More than $12 billion
• C. More than $20 billion
• D. More than $8 billion

Answer: (B)

Think in terms of the scale of the district’s budget and what threshold is definitely surpassed. The New York City school system spends a very large amount each year, with costs covering everything from salaries and benefits to facilities and transportation. That means its total annual expenditures are far above the smaller dollar amounts listed.

The statement that is safely exceeded by the actual budget is “more than twelve billion.” It captures a solid, well-supported lower bound for the district’s spending. The option claiming less than five billion is clearly false, and while the district’s spending is certainly higher than eight billion, twelve billion is the threshold that best aligns with the known size of the budget without assuming an even higher figure.