Final answer:
The coefficient of t in the equation represents the rate of change in population over time. In this case, the coefficient of t is 629, which means that for every one year since 2000, the city's population is predicted to increase by 629 people.
Step-by-step explanation:
The coefficient of t in the equation p = 629t + 150,000 represents the rate of change in population over time. In this case, the coefficient of t is 629, which means that for every one year since 2000, the city's population is predicted to increase by 629 people. The coefficient of t determines the slope of the line in the scatterplot, indicating how steep or gradual the population growth is over time.