Final answer:
To find the year when the population can reach 200 million, set up the equation P(x) = 200 and solve for x. The population can be expected to reach 200 million in approximately 22 years after 2000, around the year 2022.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the year when the population can be expected to reach 200 million, we need to set up the equation P(x) = 200 and solve for x. The equation P(x) = 40 * (1.02)^x represents the population as a function of the number of years after 2000. We substitute 200 for P(x) and solve for x:
200 = 40 * (1.02)^x
Divide both sides of the equation by 40:
5 = (1.02)^x
Take the logarithm of both sides of the equation:
log(5) = log((1.02)^x)
Apply the logarithmic property to move the exponent x down:
log(5) = x * log(1.02)
Divide both sides of the equation by log(1.02):
x = log(5) / log(1.02)
Using a calculator, we find that x is approximately 22.0902. Therefore, the population can be expected to reach 200 million in approximately 22 years after 2000, which is around the year 2022.