Question

In the year 2000, the number of snakes in a certain forest was 280.

Since that year the number of snakes in that forest has increased at a
rate of 12% per year. Write a function, f(x), that models the number of
snakes x years after the year 2000.

Answer 1

Answer: there would be approximately 493 snakes in the forest 5 years after the year 2000.


Step-by-step, explanation/work/how to solve:

The initial number of snakes in the year 2000 is 280. If the number of snakes increases at a rate of 12% per year, then the number of snakes x years after the year 2000 can be modeled by the following equation:

f(x) = 280 * (1 + 0.12)^x

Where x is the number of years after the year 2000.

So, if you want to know the number of snakes after, say, 5 years from the year 2000, you can plug in x = 5 into the equation and get:

f(5) = 280 * (1 + 0.12)^5

f(5) = 280 * 1.76234

f(5) = 493.24