Final answer:
To support 265 hosts with the smallest possible IP subnet, we can use a /24 subnet mask which provides 254 available host addresses.
Step-by-step explanation:
To support 265 hosts with the smallest possible IP subnet, we need to find a subnet with enough available host addresses. The formula to calculate the number of available host addresses in a subnet is 2^n - 2, where n is the number of host bits in the subnet mask.
We can use a /24 subnet mask (255.255.255.0) as the smallest possible subnet that supports 265 hosts. This subnet mask provides 254 available host addresses (2^8 - 2 = 254), which is enough to accommodate 265 hosts.
Therefore, the IP subnet that will support 265 hosts using the smallest possible IP subnet is any subnet with a /24 subnet mask (e.g., 192.168.0.0/24, 10.0.0.0/24).