Question

The population of a city increases by 3.1% per year. If this year's population is

290,000, what will next year's population be, to the nearest individual?

Answer 1

To find next year's population, multiply the current population of 290,000 by the growth factor, which is 1 plus the growth rate of 3.1% converted to a decimal. This results in a population of approximately 298,990 for the following year, rounded to the nearest individual.

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the population of a city next year given this year's population and the growth rate, we use the formula for exponential growth: Final population = Initial population × (1 + growth rate).

For the given city with a population of 290,000 and a 3.1% growth rate:

1. Convert the percentage growth rate into decimal form: 3.1% = 0.031.
2. Calculate the growth factor: 1 + 0.031 = 1.031.
3. Multiply the initial population by the growth factor: 290,000 × 1.031 = 298,990.

Rounded to the nearest individual, the population next year would be 298,990.