Step-by-step:
I found your worksheet online of which explains more in detail the assignment. The rumor starts with 3 people and doubles each day that it spreads.
The formula for exponential growth is
.
You can plug your formula into the equation to get
an alternative way to answer plug that formula into desmos graphing calculator and draw what shows up there under the question.
I will reply to my answer a psychological reason for this to happen too for my own entertainment.