Question

In 1990 four towns had the same population. Since then, the population of town 1 grew by a factor of 1.02, the population of town 2 grew by. A factor of .999 per year, the population of town 3 grew by 150 people per year, and the population of town 4 grew by 200 people per year. If these growth patterns continue, which town will eventually become and remain the town with the largest population

Answer 1

Answer: Town 1

Step-by-step explanation:

Town 1's population is growing at a factor of 1.02 which means that it is increasing by 2% a year.

Town 2 is growing at a factor of 0.999 which means that it is decreasing at a rate of:

= 1 - 0.999

= 0.1%

Town 3's population is increasing by 150 a year and town 4 is 200 people a year.

Town 1 will eclipse them all eventually because it is growing proportionally at 2%.

Towns 3 and 4 will eventually see 150 and 200 people fall below 2% of their town's population which means they will be growing at a slower rate than Town 1.