SOLUTION: The population of a small town has an average growth rate of 150 people every 48 years. If the population was 85 in 1850, find an equation expressing population, P, in terms of yea

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Question 56641: The population of a small town has an average growth rate of 150 people every 48 years. If the population was 85 in 1850, find an equation expressing population, P, in terms of years, t, after 1850. Then, using the equation, find out what the population will be in 2004.
Answer by rcmcc(152) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
This is a simple growth question. In this question we would use the equation G=Ar+P
where A is the amount of people per growth period
where P is the initial population
where r is the rate or amount of increase

A is given as it is 150 people per period.
P is 85 people
r is calculated by the total number of years divided by the years for 1 increase. so 2004-1850=154 years 154/48 r=3.2083
so
G=150x3.2083+85
G=566 people. Remember you can never have a fraction of a person so if they do not tell you to round up you should always round to the nearest whole number unless instructions tell you to round the number otherwise.
so the population in 2004 of the town would be 566 people.