document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=980289>Question 980289</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> the population of a midwest town decreased from 214,000 to 211,000 in just 2 years. assuming this trend continues, what will population be after an additional 3 years?\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "thank you for your time and help  </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #601451 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Boreal><B>Boreal(15235)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Boreal><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/cgi-bin/show-face.mpl?user=Boreal><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=601451\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> P=Po{1+r}^t, with t in years\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "211000=214000(1+r)^2<BR>\n" );
document.write( "divide by 214000, both sides<BR>\n" );
document.write( "0.9860=(1+r)^2<BR>\n" );
document.write( "ln of both sides<BR>\n" );
document.write( "-0.0141=2 (ln (1+r)<BR>\n" );
document.write( "-0.00706=ln (1+r)<BR>\n" );
document.write( "raise both to e<BR>\n" );
document.write( "0.9930=1+r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "r=-0.007\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Now P=Po(1-0.007)^5, because it will be 5 years.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "=206,614<BR>\n" );
document.write( "With these problems, round at the end.  I wrote in the number to a few decimal places, but the calculations were done with the original unrounded answer. </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );