SOLUTION: My problem is: A town's population decreases each year about 1 %. If the town's population is 3,000 now, what will the population on be in 5 years In 10 years? My real question

Algebra ->  Coordinate Systems and Linear Equations  -> Linear Equations and Systems Word Problems -> SOLUTION: My problem is: A town's population decreases each year about 1 %. If the town's population is 3,000 now, what will the population on be in 5 years In 10 years? My real question       Log On


   

Question 908866: My problem is:
A town's population decreases each year about 1 %. If the town's population is 3,000 now, what will the population on be in 5 years In 10 years?
My real question is do I use the answer of the population in 5 years in the problem y=a (1-r)^t to get the answer of the population in 10 years or do I subsitute 3000 for a in both problems?
Answer by josgarithmetic(39618) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Yes, you can use that equation for the town's population. y is population at time 0, and t is time in years. r is the PERCENT DECREASE, and it should be as a decimal. a is the initial population at t=0. Notice that you are using 1-r, which is the factor giving how much population quantity the town RETAINS each year.

Without giving you the steps for it, do you see that your equation is y=a%280.99%29%5Et?
More specifically, your case is y=3000%280.99%29%5Et.