College

A town has a population of 141,200 and shrinks at a rate of [tex]6\%[/tex] every year. Which equation represents the town's population after 8 years?

A. [tex]P = 141,200(1 - 0.06)(1 - 0.06)(1 - 0.06)(1 - 0.06)[/tex]

B. [tex]P = 141,200(1 - 0.06)^8[/tex]

C. [tex]P = 141,200(1.06)^8[/tex]

D. [tex]P = 141,200(1 - 0.6)^8[/tex]

Answer :

To solve this question, we need to determine which equation correctly represents the population of the town after 8 years, given that the population shrinks by 6% each year.

1. Understand the Problem:
- Initial population = 141,200
- Annual shrinkage rate = 6% or 0.06
- Number of years = 8

2. Set Up the Equation:
- Since the population decreases by 6% each year, the remaining population after each year is 94% of the previous year's population. This can be calculated as (1 - 0.06), or 0.94.
- To find the population after 8 years, we raise 0.94 to the 8th power (because the population shrinks by 6% each year for 8 years).

3. Write the Correct Exponential Decay Equation:
- The equation should be:
[tex]\[
P = 141,200 \times (1 - 0.06)^8
\][/tex]
- This equation accurately represents the situation by considering the shrinkage rate over the 8-year period.

4. Choose the Correct Option:
- Among the options given, the correct equation is:
[tex]\[
P = 141,200 \times (1 - 0.06)^8
\][/tex]

This explains why the option [tex]\( P = 141,200(1-0.06)^8 \)[/tex] is the correct choice, showing how the population decreases over 8 years due to the yearly shrinkage rate of 6%.