Final answer:
Using the formula for exponential decay, the predicted fish population in 8 years, shrinking at a rate of 7.5% per year from an initial number of 30,000, is approximately 15,030 fish.
Step-by-step explanation:
We are to predict the fish population in 8 years assuming it shrinks at a rate of 7.5% per year from an initial population of 30,000 fish. We can use the formula for exponential decay, which is:
P(t) = P0 × (1 - r)t
where P(t) is the population at time t, P0 is the initial population, r is the decay rate (as a decimal), and t is the time in years.
Initial Population: 30,000
Annual decay rate: 7.5% or 0.075 as a decimal
Time period: 8 years
Applying these values to the formula, we get:
P(8) = 30,000 × (1 - 0.075)8
P(8) = 30,000 × (0.925)8
P(8) = 30,000 × 0.501
P(8) ≈ 15,030
So, the best prediction for the fish population in 8 years is approximately 15,030 fish.