Final answer:
The growth of Patrick Starr's rock collection can be modeled by the exponential function R(n) = 20 × 2^n, representing the number of rocks on day n.
Step-by-step explanation:
To create an equation that represents the growth of Patrick Starr's rock collection as it doubles every day starting with 20 rocks, we can use an exponential function. The number of rocks on any given day (day n) can be determined using the equation:
R(n) = 20 × 2^n
where R(n) represents the number of rocks on day n, 20 is the initial amount of rocks and 2^n indicates that the quantity doubles every day.