Question

Possible

An unusually wet spring has caused the size of a mosquito population in some city to increase by 6% each
day. If an estimated 230,000 mosquitoes are in the city on May 12, find how many mosquitoes will inhabit the
city on May 26. Use y = 230,000(1.06)* where x is number of days since May 12.

Answer 1

about 520,000

Explanation:

Following directions, we evaluate the equation by putting the value where the variable is and doing the arithmetic.

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The value of x will be the number of days between May 26 and May 12. That value is ...

x = 26 -12 = 14

Then the number of mosquitos is estimated to be ...

y = 230,000(1.06^14) ≈ 520,008

About 520,000 mosquitos will inhabit the city on May 26.

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Additional comment

Typically, an "estimate" is one or two significant figures. So, 520,000 is a reasonable estimate. 520,008 has more precsision than can be justified.