Q:

Assuming that Switzerland's population is growing exponentially at a continuous rate of 0.24 percent a year and that the 1988 population was 6.7 million, write an expression for the population as a function of time in years. (Let t=0 in 1988.)

Accepted Solution

A:
Answer:St = 6700000(1 - 1.04^t ) / 0.76Step-by-step explanation:Since the population is growing exponentially at a continuous rate of 0.24 percent a year, then a geometric progression is defined. The formula for the sum of n terms, Sn of a geometric progression is expressed as Sn = a(r^n - 1)/r - 1Wherea is the first term of the sequencen is the number of termsr is the common ratioFrom the given information,a = 6.7 millionr = 0.24n = tSt = the population after t yearsThe expression for the population as a function of time in years will beSt = 6700000(1.04^t - 1)/(0.24-1)Since 0.24 is lesser than 1, it can be rewritten asSt = 6700000(1 - 1.04^t ) / (1 - 0.24)St = 6700000(1 - 1.04^t ) / 0.76