Final answer:
The independent quantity in this scenario is the number of years. Using the formula Total population = Initial population × (growth factor)^(number of years), the final population of turtles is 109,350.
Step-by-step explanation:
The independent quantity in this scenario is the number of years. The question states that the initial population of turtles tripled each year for the past five years. This means that the population increased by a factor of 3 every year. To find the final population, we can use the formula:
Total population = Initial population × (growth factor)^(number of years)
Plugging in the values given in the question, we get:
Total population = 450 × (3)^5 = 450 × 243 = 109,350
So, the final population of turtles is 109,350.