Question

A town has a population of 6000 and grows at 3.5% every year. To the nearest year, how long will it be until the population will reach 7100?

Answer 1

5 years.

Explanation:

Every year the population increases by a factor 103.5% or 1.035.

The equation relating population and time in years is:

P = 6000(1.035)^t (This is an example of exponential growth)

So we have:

7100 = 6000(1.035)^t

(1.035)^t = 7100/6000

(1.035)^t = 1.1833

t ln 1.035 = ln 1.1833

t = ln 1.1833/ln 1.035

= 4.89.