The base and tops of the overcast layer reported by a pilot are

• A. 7,200 feet MSL and 8,900 feet MSL
• B. 2,000 feet MSL and 3,000 feet MSL
• C. 1,000 feet MSL and 2,000 feet MSL
• D. 9,000 feet MSL and 10,000 feet MSL

Answer: (A)

In aviation weather, the base and tops of an overcast layer tell you the bottom and the top of the cloud deck that covers the sky. The base is where the overcast begins, and the tops are where that layer ends; both values are given in feet MSL when the report uses MSL.

Seeing a base at 7,200 feet MSL and tops at 8,900 feet MSL means there is a continuous, 8/8 cloud deck starting at 7,200 feet and reaching up to 8,900 feet. This indicates a mid‑level overcast of about 1,700 feet thick, which is a common way pilots report such a layer. The other pairings would place the deck at much lower or higher altitudes or with different thicknesses, which would not match the stated overcast layer as described.