document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=1190145>Question 1190145</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Topics In Contemporary Math<BR>\n" );
document.write( " Exponential Growth\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "5)The population of bison was almost hunted to extinction when the United States <BR>\n" );
document.write( "expanded westward. The population decreased by 40% per year when the expansion <BR>\n" );
document.write( "began in 1803. If the herds of bison originally contained 500,000 bison, how many were <BR>\n" );
document.write( "left in 1820? </SPAN>\n" );
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document.write( "x = number of years<BR>\n" );
document.write( "y = population in thousands\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "The gap from 1803 to 1820 is 1820-1803 = 17 years.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Plug in x = 17 to find the y value<BR>\n" );
document.write( "y = a*b^x<BR>\n" );
document.write( "y = 500*(1-0.40)^x<BR>\n" );
document.write( "y = 500*(0.60)^x<BR>\n" );
document.write( "y = 500*(0.60)^17<BR>\n" );
document.write( "y = 0.084633 approximately\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "y is the population in thousands, so multiply that approximate result by 1000<BR>\n" );
document.write( "1000*0.084633 = 84.633<BR>\n" );
document.write( "That rounds to 85\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Answer: 85<BR>\n" );
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