At the last head count, the population of the school was three thousand is an example of

Analyze the question

The sentence is "At the last head count, the population of the school was three thousand." We need to identify the figure of speech. The phrase to focus on is "head count", where "head" stands for a whole person.

Explain the concept

• Synecdoche: a part is used to represent the whole (or, less often, the whole represents a part). Examples: "All hands on deck" (hands = sailors), "boots on the ground" (boots = soldiers).
• Metonymy: something is referred to by the name of something closely associated with it. Example: "The crown" for the monarchy, or "the press" for journalists.
• Hyperbole: deliberate exaggeration for effect.
• Pun: wordplay using a word with double meanings or similar sounds.

Step-by-step solution

1. Is there exaggeration? No. Three thousand is a plain, realistic figure for a school's population, so it is not hyperbole.
2. Is there wordplay or a double meaning? No, so it is not a pun.
3. Look at "head count". A "head" (part of a person) is used to stand for the whole person being counted. This is a part representing the whole.
4. That is the definition of synecdoche. Metonymy would need an associated object or concept (like "crown" for king), not a body part of the thing itself.

(Note that "synechdoche" in the option is a misspelling of "synecdoche".)

Exam tip: Ask yourself, "Is it a part standing for the whole?" If yes, it's synecdoche (head = person, hands = workers, wheels = car). If it's an associated thing (crown = king, Aso Rock = Nigerian presidency), it's metonymy.