Final Answer:
a) The exponential model for the number of Hispanic-owned businesses, with t representing years since 1999 and f(t) in millions, is:
f(t) = 0.89 * (1 + 52.15%)^t
b) Assuming the model remains accurate, there will be approximately 6055.38 million Hispanic-owned businesses in 2031.
Step-by-step explanation:
Calculating the growth rate:
Growth rate = (2.83 million - 1.86 million) / 1.86 million ≈ 52.15%
Initial value and formula:
The initial value (a) is 1.86 million, as it represents the number of businesses in 1999 (t = 0).
The exponential model is f(t) = a * (1 + growth rate)^t.
Plugging in values:
f(t) = 1.86 million * (1 + 52.15%)^t
Simplifying, we get: f(t) = 0.89 * (1 + 52.15%)^t
Number of businesses in 2031:
For 2031, t = 2031 - 1999 = 32.
Substituting t = 32 into the model: f(32) ≈ 6055.38 million
Therefore, the exponential model provides a good fit for the data and predicts approximately 6055.38 million Hispanic-owned businesses in 2031. Remember, this is based on an assumption of the model's continued accuracy and should be interpreted cautiously.