Final answer:
The function h(t) = 300(0.743)^t models the exponential decay of killer squirrel population in central park, where t represents time in years. This mathematical concept can be applied across various fields to understand growth and decay dynamics.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question pertains to the decay function modeling the population of killer squirrels given by h(t) = 300(0.743)^t, where t is the time in years. The function represents an exponential decay as the squirrel population is diminishing over time. In mathematics, such functions are useful to model populations, radioactive decay, or any process that decreases at a rate proportional to its current value.
Exponential growth and decay are concepts that can also be applied to a variety of fields outside of ecological modeling, as evidenced by the different contexts provided in the reference information, such as human population growth, energy consumption, and logistic growth models. All these examples involve the use of exponential functions and logarithmic transformations to understand the dynamics of growth or decay over time.
Understanding the behavior of the function h(t) helps in predicting the future size of the population. For example, if we want to know the number of killer squirrels after 5 years, we would substitute t with 5 in the equation to find h(5) = 300(0.743)^5.