Question

A function f gives the number of stray cats in a town t years since the town started

an animal control program. The program includes both sterilizing stray cats and finding homes to adopt
them. An equation representing f is f(t) = 243(3)'.


What is the value of f(t) when t is 0? Explain what this value means in this situation?

Answer 1

f(0) = 243 . . . cats at the start

Explanation:

The exponential function tells you the number of cats after t years is ...

f(t) = 243(1/3)^t

When t=0, the exponential factor is 1, so the value of the function is the multiplying constant.

f(0) = 243

This means there were 243 stray cats in town when the animal control program started.