Is this use of colon correct?

[shahmau]

Part of the proposed increase in state education spending is due to higher enrollment, since the number of students in public schools have grown steadily since the mid-1980's and, at nearly 47 million, are at a record high


B enrollment, with a number of students in public schools growing steadily since the mid-1980’s and, at nearly 47 million, reaching


D enrollment: the number of students in public schools has grown steadily since the mid-1980’s and at nearly 47 million, has reached


B and E are not worth mentioning, they were definitely incorrect.

Correct answer is D

Only question I have is --- Is this the correct use of colon? I marked D as incorrect based on the fact that colon is not used correctly …and then chose the best answer of the other options.

Please assist

[aim-wsc]

YES.

In the near future if you practise more SC you ll see many correct sentences with colon.

[Stacey Koprince]

B is incorrect because of this part:

"with a number of students in public schools growing steadily"

This means that the students themselves grew (taller? wider?), not the number of students. "A number" is plural, so if "a number" are growing steadily, we must be referring to the (plural) students. "The number" is singular, so if "the number" is growing steadily, we must be referring to the (singular) amount.

[careers.asd]

B is incorrect because of this part:

"with a number of students in public schools growing steadily"

This means that the students themselves grew (taller? wider?), not the number of students. "A number" is plural, so if "a number" are growing steadily, we must be referring to the (plural) students. "The number" is singular, so if "the number" is growing steadily, we must be referring to the (singular) amount.

Still not clear, why to use Colon here?

[aspirant2011]

"a number of" is always plural and "the number" is always singular-------------> remember this rule for GMAT