A rowing team entered at 2000-meter race. The team's coach is analyzing the race based on the team's split times, as shown in the table below. A split time is the time it takes to complete a 500-meter segment of the race.

$$ \text{Race Summary} $$ $$ \small \begin{array} {|c|c|c|c|} \hline & & & \\ \text{Split} & \text{Race segment} & \text{Split time} & \text{Total race time} \\ \text{number} & \text{(meters)} & \text{(seconds)} & \text{at end of split} \\ & & & \text{(seconds)} \\ \hline 1 & 0-500 & 89 & 89 \\ \hline 2 & 500-1000 & 102 & 191 \\ \hline 3 & 1000-1500 & 95 & 286 \\ \hline 4 & 1500-2000 & 99 & 385 \\ \hline \end{array} $$

During the second and third split of the race, the team rowed at a rate of approximately 30 strokes per minute. Which is closest to the number of strokes it took the team to complete both the second and third split?

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Since the times in the table are given in seconds, let's first convert the given rate into strokes per second.

$$ \frac{30 \text{ strokes}}{1 \text{ minute}}$$ $$ \frac{30 \text{ strokes}}{1 \cancel{\text{ minute}}} \cdot \frac{1 \cancel{\text{ minute}}}{60 \text{ seconds}}$$ $$ = \frac{1 \text{ stroke}}{2 \text { seconds}} $$

From the given table, we can calculate the total combined time for splits 2 and 3.

$$ \begin{array} {|c|c|c|c|} \hline & & & \\ \text{Split} & \text{Race segment} & \text{Split time} & \text{Total race time} \\ \text{number} & \text{(meters)} & \text{(seconds)} & \text{at end of split} \\ & & & \text{(seconds)} \\ \hline 1 & 0-500 & 89 & 89 \\ \hline 2 & 500-1000 & \colorbox{aqua}{$102$} & 191 \\ \hline 3 & 1000-1500 & \colorbox{aqua}{$95$} & 286 \\ \hline 4 & 1500-2000 & 99 & 385 \\ \hline \end{array} $$ $$ \text{ combined time} = 102+95 $$ $$ = 197 \text{ seconds} $$

Using the given rate and time, we can calculate the total number of strokes needed to complete the second and third split.

$$ = \frac{1 \text{ stroke}}{2 \cancel{\text { seconds}}} \cdot 197 \cancel{\text{ seconds}}$$ $$ = 98.5 \text{ strokes} $$ $$ \approx \boxed{99} \text{ strokes} $$