Answer:
11.0 years
Step-by-step explanation:
The exponential function describing the population growth can be written ...
population = (initial population)×(1 +growth rate)^years
If t represents the number of years, we can fill in the values to get ...
18500 = 12000×1.04^t
Dividing by 12000 gives ...
18500/12000 = 1.04^t
Taking logarithms, we have ...
log(18500/12000) = t×log(1.04)
t = log(185/120)/log(1.04) ≈ 11.037 ≈ 11.0
It will be 11.0 years until the population reaches 18,500.
