n his speech about the rising cost of textbooks, Eli said, "For example, let’s imagine that there is a college student named Joe. Joe is taking public speaking, composition, algebra, and biology this semester. If Joe had walked into the book store to buy his textbooks in 1985, he probably would have paid around $400 for his books, but today, Joe’s books would probably cost around $800." What kind of support material is Eli using? Group of answer choices

1. Real example
2. Hypothetical example
3. Analogy
4. Metapho

Hypothetical examples are one of the most commonly employed support material that the authors/speakers use to demonstrate and back their claim. It involves a fictional illustration that primarily aims to elucidate the complex topic or situation that would make it convenient for the audience to understand the point more effectively.

In the given description, Eli takes a 'hypothetical example' i.e. a fictional character named 'Joe' to elaborate her point regarding the 'rising cost of textbooks' with time. This fictional/hypothetical illustration not only supports her claim but also clarifies her key idea constructively that would comprehend the readers' understanding and evoke the desired response from them. Thus, option 2 is the correct answer.