Since the lizard increases by about 8% each year, it can be understood as an exponential function as:
![L(t)=L_0\ast(1+r)^t](https://img.qammunity.org/2023/formulas/mathematics/college/gcaodhld3re7bdr6nww7hmvbi9wsu7aikx.png)
since the initial length and the rate of increase is also given, replace ins the formula
![\begin{gathered} L(t)=16\ast(1+0.08)^t \\ simplify \\ L(t)=16\ast(1.08)^t \end{gathered}](https://img.qammunity.org/2023/formulas/mathematics/college/d2gtsbd78gh6ajyabbdn1wi70cjqzbrm57.png)
Then replace in the formula t as 3
![\begin{gathered} L(3)=16\ast(1.08)^3 \\ L(3)=20.155\cong20.16cm \end{gathered}](https://img.qammunity.org/2023/formulas/mathematics/college/4wrrgom3azjr90phldl8qo913gv36781xw.png)
Answer:
The equation that models the length of the lizard for the first 8 years is:
![L(t)=16(1.08)^t](https://img.qammunity.org/2023/formulas/mathematics/college/3hyt4si86a1yn7l9ke2bytspnj0no6nzml.png)
And the approximate length of the lizard after 3 years is about 20.16 cm