Final answer:
To find the value of k for the exponential growth function of a stock price, the equation 14.60 = 10e^(4k) is used. After solving for k, the value is approximately 0.095 per month, corresponding to choice D.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student is asking to find the approximate value of k in the exponential function p = 10ekm, which represents the price of a share of stock over time. Given that p is the price of the stock, e is the base of the natural logarithm, k is the constant growth rate, and m is the number of months since the IPO. With a starting price of $10 at the IPO and a price of $14.60 after four months, we can set up the equation as 14.60 = 10e4k to solve for k.
First, divide both sides by 10:
1.46 = e4k
Now, take the natural logarithm of both sides:
ln(1.46) = ln(e4k) = 4k
This simplifies to:
k = ln(1.46) / 4
Using a calculator, we find:
k ≈ 0.095
So the approximate value of k is 0.095 per month, which corresponds to answer choice D.