Question

read the paragraph. then, add the best topic sentence.

computer programs written in the 1950s through the 1990s often represented each year with only its last two digits, like 99 instead of 1999. because the first two digits were missing, people worried that on january 1, 2000, computers would think it was 1900. many believed this would cause major computer systems around the world to fail, including those at hospitals and banks. in the end, most computer programs did not fail when the year changed from 1999 to 2000.

hospitals and banks need computers to keep running.
computers have changed a lot since they were first developed.
many people thought computer programs would fail in the year 2000.

Explanation:

The paragraph focuses on the fear that computer systems would fail at the start of 2000 due to a two-digit year formatting issue, and notes that most did not fail. The correct topic sentence must summarize this core focus. The first option only addresses a small detail about hospitals and banks. The second option is too broad, as the paragraph does not cover general computer changes. The third option directly captures the central concern of the paragraph.

Answer:

Many people thought computer programs would fail in the year 2000.