Final answer:
The exponential growth equation for calculating population size is P = Po * e^(r*t), where P is the population size at time t, Po is the initial population size, e is the mathematical constant approximately equal to 2.718, r is the growth rate, and t is the time in years.
Step-by-step explanation:
The exponential growth equation for calculating population size is represented by the formula: P = Po * e^(r*t), where P is the population size at time t, Po is the initial population size, e is the mathematical constant approximately equal to 2.718, r is the growth rate, and t is the time in years.
For example, if a population starts with 100 individuals (Po = 100), has a growth rate of 0.05 (5%) per year (r = 0.05), and the population is observed after 5 years (t = 5), the equation would be:
P = 100 * e^(0.05*5)
= 100 * e^(0.25)
≈ 100 * 1.281
= 128.1 (rounded to one decimal place).