What does an -ite or -ate ending in a polyatomic ion mean?

sulfur is in the formula.

nitrogen is in the formula.

bromine is in the formula.

oxygen is in the formula.

An -ate polyatomic is one that contains oxygen, and an -ite has one of the oxygen atoms removed from the -ate form. For example, chlorate would be ClO3-, and chlorite would be ClO2-. For both, the suffixes mean that oxygen is in the formula.

The ite or ate ending in a polyatomic would refer to the presence of oxygen in the chemical formula.

For example
nitrate = NO3 - or sulphate = (SO4)^-2.

Most likely a is the answer - because  you generate   38 atp's but also consume an atp.   each atp gives approx. less than 4 kcal so probably a is the closest answer.