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| Question 1173638:  A national census is mandated by the Constitution of Pakistan to be held every ten years. After
 the independence of Pakistan in 1947, the first census took place in 1951. Figure 1 reflects the
 increase in population of Pakistan during last four national census. The increase between 1972 and
 2017 could be approximated by a linear function. If in 1972 the population was 65.309 million
 and as per the census data of 2017 the population was 207.774 million;
 a) Determine the estimation function P = f (t), where P equals the population of Pakistan and t
 equals time measured in years since 1972.
 b) Interpret the slope and P intercept
 c) According to this function, what will be the estimated population of Pakistan in 2027 census?
 Answer by CPhill(1987)
      (Show Source): 
You can put this solution on YOUR website! Let's break down this population estimation problem. **a) Determine the Estimation Function P = f(t)**
 1.  **Define the Points:**
 * (t1, P1) = (0, 65.309 million) - 1972 is the starting year, so t=0.
 * (t2, P2) = (45, 207.774 million) - 2017 is 45 years after 1972.
 2.  **Calculate the Slope (m):**
 * m = (P2 - P1) / (t2 - t1)
 * m = (207.774 - 65.309) / (45 - 0)
 * m = 142.465 / 45
 * m ≈ 3.165888888888889 (approximately 3.166 million per year)
 3.  **Determine the P-intercept (b):**
 * Since we're using 1972 as t=0, the P-intercept is the population in 1972, which is 65.309 million.
 4.  **Write the Linear Equation (P = mt + b):**
 * P = 3.166t + 65.309
 Therefore, the estimation function is P = 3.166t + 65.309.
 **b) Interpret the Slope and P-intercept**
 * **Slope (3.166):** The slope represents the average annual increase in Pakistan's population (in millions) between 1972 and 2017. In this case, the population increased by approximately 3.166 million people per year.
 * **P-intercept (65.309):** The P-intercept represents the estimated population of Pakistan in 1972, which was 65.309 million.
 **c) Estimated Population in 2027 Census**
 1.  **Calculate the Time (t):**
 * 2027 - 1972 = 55 years
 2.  **Plug t into the Equation:**
 * P = 3.166 * 55 + 65.309
 * P = 174.13 + 65.309
 * P = 239.439 million
 Therefore, according to this linear function, the estimated population of Pakistan in 2027 would be approximately 239.439 million.
 
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