The proportion of women among students enrolled in higher education pr

in 1959, only 11 percent of the women between twenty and twenty-one were enrolled in college, while in 1981, 30 percent of the women between twenty and twenty-one were enrolled in college.

In 1959,
of every 100 women between ages 20 and 21, only 11 were enrolled in college.
The rest 89 women between ages 20 and 21 were not enrolled in college.

In 1981,
of every 100 women between ages 20 and 21, 30 were enrolled in college.
The rest 70 women between ages 20 and 21 were not enrolled in college.

These numbers are just women's numbers. Nothing to do with men.

The conclusion says: proportion of women among students enrolled in higher education programs has increased

students enrolled = men + women
We need to know whether proportion of women has increased. Then we need to know what happened to the number of men in that time frame.

We need to know how many men of that age group were enrolled in college at that time.
If in 1959, only 11% of men in that age range were enrolled too, then proportion of women would be 50% (assuming equal men-women population in that age range)
If in 1981, 70% men in that age range were enrolled, then proportion of women in the enrolled would be 30% (assuming equal men-women population in that age range)

So proportion of women would have declined.

On the other hand, if in 1981, only 20% men in that age range were enrolled, then proportion of women in the enrolled would be 80%. So proportion of women would have increased.

Hence we need to know the percentage of men enrolled in that age range.

Answer (D)