Question

A city’s population, P, is modeled by the function P(x) = 78,500( 1.02 )x where x represents the number of years after the year 2000.

The population of the city in the year 2000 was . The population increases by % each year. Enter your answers in the boxes.

Answer 1

I presume this is meant to be exponential.

When f(x) = a(b)^x, a represents the starting value, b represents change, and x represents time.

The population began in 2000 (x = 0). This makes the equation equal to 78,500, which is your starting value and population in 2000.

1.02 means that the initial value is multiplied by 1.02 or 102% each year. Therefore, there is a 2% increase.