Answer:
The reason for adding 1 to the growth rate is to account for the initial value or starting point.
Explanation:
In an exponential growth function, the growth factor is expressed as (1 + r), where "r" represents the growth rate. The reason for adding 1 to the growth rate is to account for the initial value or starting point. This ensures that the initial amount is included in the calculation. If only the growth rate "r" were used without adding 1, the formula would represent only the proportional increase or decrease from one period to the next, neglecting the starting amount. The "+1" in (1 + r) ensures that the initial value is considered in the exponential growth formula.