Final answer:
The exponential growth function that models the population growth of the city can be found using the formula N(t) = P * e^(kt). By plugging in the given population values for 2000 and 2010, we can solve for the growth rate k. Using the exponential growth function, we can predict the population of the city in 2016.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the exponential growth function that models the population growth of the city, we can use the formula N(t) = P * e^(kt), where N(t) is the population at time t, P is the initial population, e is the base of the natural logarithm, and k is the growth rate.
Given that the population was 143,230 in 2000 and 217,325 in 2010, we can plug these values into the formula and solve for k. Substituting t = 0 and N(t) = 143,230, we get 143,230 = P * e^(k(0)), which simplifies to P = 143,230.
Substituting t = 10 and N(t) = 217,325, we get 217,325 = 143,230 * e^(k(10)), which simplifies to e^(k(10)) = 217,325/143,230.
Now we can find k by taking the natural logarithm of both sides of the equation. Solving for k gives us k ≈ ln(217,325/143,230)/10.
Once we have the value of k, we can use the exponential growth function to predict the population in 2016. Substituting t = 16 into the exponential growth function N(t) = P * e^(kt), using the initial population P = 143,230 and the value of k we found, we can calculate the population to the nearest thousand.