Question

Town A adds 10 people per year to its population, and town B grows by 10% each year. In 2006, each town has 145 residents. For each town, determine whether the population growth is linear or exponential. Match the town on the left with the description of its population growth on the right.

Answer 1

Well town A has an annual growth that stays constant. town B has a 10% growth which is exponential because it takes a percent of the whole number and adds it so if you have 145 residents in 2006 in say three years in 2009. in 2007 its population would be 159.5> rounded up because you can't have half a person it would be 160. in 2008 it would be 176 and finally in 2009 it would be 194. that's a growth of 49 in three years where as town a grows only ten people per year. which means town a would only grow by 30 people in three years and have a population of 175.