Problema Solution

A midwestern city finds its residents moving to suburbs. Its population is declining according to the function: P(t)= po e-0.04t

where t is the time measured in yrs. and po is the population at t=0. Assume that

po= 1,000,000

a) find the population at time t=1 to the nearest thousand.

b) How long to the nearest tenth of a year, will it take for the population to decline to 750,000?

c) How long to the nearest tenth of a year, will it take for the population to decline to half the initial number?

Answer provided by our tutors

P(t)= Po*e^(-0.04t)

Po= 1,000,000  is the initial number

a) find the population at time t=1 to the nearest thousand.

P(1)= 1,000,000*e^(-0.04*1)

P(1)= 1,000,000*e^(-0.04)

P(1)= 961,000 to the nearest thousand

b) How long to the nearest tenth of a year, will it take for the population to decline to 750,000?

We need to find t such that P(t) = 750,000 that is:

1,000,000*e^(-0.04t) = 750,000

e^(-0.04t) = 0.75

t = 7.2 years  to the nearest tenth

c) How long to the nearest tenth of a year, will it take for the population to decline to half the initial number?

We need to find t such that:

P(t) = Po/2

P(t) = 1,000,000/2

P(t) = 500,000 that is

1,000,000*e^(-0.04t) = 500,000

e^(-0.04t) = 0.5

t = 17.3 years to the nearest tenth