The year with the greatest number would be 2003. Cats were pretty unpopular then.

The greatest increase was from 98-99 or 02-03

I believe that those were the years that the greek restaurant that had actually been frying strays was closed.( It was re-opend in 2001, hence the increase in population).

Answer (b) is a trick question.

Since the teacher made sure that there are three answers that are the same, it would be wrong.

The correct answer would be, the year with the lowest,1998-30, and the year with the highest,2003-55.

Because your choice is between a set of six years, and not three sets of two years.

Does that make sense?

b.1998-1999, 1999-2000, 2002-2003

b) any year with a jump of ten