Suppose the population in a town has an average growth rate of 18%. If there are 15,500 people now living in town, in about how many years will the population grow to 30,000? Use the equation 30,000 = (15,500) (1.18) x and round the value of x to the nearest year.

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Cora

Mathematics

8 November, 08:55

Suppose the population in a town has an average growth rate of 18%. If there are 15,500 people now living in town, in about how many years will the population grow to 30,000? Use the equation 30,000 = (15,500) (1.18) x and round the value of x to the nearest year.

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Joslyn Hughes · Answer 1

First isolate the exponential bit by dividing both sides by 15,500 (1.18) ^x = 30,000/15,500.

Now you take logarithms of both sides ln (1.18) ^x = ln (30,000/15500) can you continue from here? Hint; - use the rule ln a^b = b ln a.