Final answer:
To model the situation, use the exponential decay formula P(t) = P₀ * (1 - r)^t, where P(t) is the population after time t, P₀ is the initial population, and r is the decay rate. Substitute the given values into the formula to find the exponential function and then find the population after 12 years by substituting t = 12 into the function.
Step-by-step explanation:
To model the situation, we can use the exponential decay formula:
P(t) = P₀ * (1 - r)t
Where P(t) is the population after time t, P₀ is the initial population, and r is the decay rate. In this case, P₀ = 1,860,000 and r = 0.015 (1.5% as a decimal). So the exponential function to model the situation is:
P(t) = 1,860,000 * (1 - 0.015)t
To find the population after 12 years, we can substitute t = 12 into the function:
P(12) = 1,860,000 * (1 - 0.015)12