SOLUTION: Please help me solve this problem: Dr. Jane is studying the growing population of a species of jellyfish in a body of water. Each year, she records the population of jellyfish. Th

Algebra ->  Coordinate Systems and Linear Equations  -> Linear Equations and Systems Word Problems -> SOLUTION: Please help me solve this problem: Dr. Jane is studying the growing population of a species of jellyfish in a body of water. Each year, she records the population of jellyfish. Th      Log On


   

Question 1042531: Please help me solve this problem:
Dr. Jane is studying the growing population of a species of jellyfish in a body of water. Each year, she records the population of jellyfish. The first year, she recorded a population of 17 jellyfish. Every following year, the population increased by four times the previous year’s population. At this rate, what will be the jellyfish population in the 9th year of her study?
Answer by josmiceli(19441) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Let +p%28t%29+ = the population after year +t+
+p%28t%29+=+17%2A4%5Et+
( note that the 1st year is year zero +t+=+0+ )
The 9th year is really year 8 in this formula
( 0 - 8 ) is 9 years
+p%288%29+=+17%2A4%5E8+
+p%288%29+=++17%2A65536+
+p%288%29+=+1114112+
The population will be 1,114,112 in the 9th year
Hope I got it