Final answer:
Rumors spread through a community exponentially, with the number of people hearing the rumor doubling within a certain period of time.
Step-by-step explanation:
The rate at which a rumor spreads through a community can be described as exponentially. Exponential growth occurs when the number of people who hear the rumor doubles within a certain period of time. This means that as more people hear the rumor, it spreads faster and faster. An example of exponential growth in population is bacteria growing in enriched medium in a lab.