Final answer:
To find the initial population P, we can use the formula for exponential growth. Solving the system of equations, we find that the initial population is approximately 3,229.5.
Step-by-step explanation:
To solve this problem, we can use the formula for exponential growth. The formula is given by P(t) = P(0) * e^(kt), where P(0) is the initial population, t is time in years, k is the growth rate constant, and e is the base of the natural logarithm. We are given that the population doubled in 5 years, which means P(5) = 2P(0). We are also given that the population after 3 years is 9,000, so P(3) = 9,000. Using these two equations, we can solve for P(0) by setting up a system of equations and solving for P(0). After substituting the values and solving the system, we find that the initial population P(0) is approximately 3,229.5.
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