Question

A small country emits 50,000 kilotons of carbon dioxide per year. In a recent global agreement, the country agreed to cut its carbon emissions by 1.1% per year for the next 6 years. In the first year of the agreement, the country will keep its emissions at 50,000 kilotons and the emissions will decrease 1.1% in each successive year. How many total kilotons of carbon dioxide would the country emit over the course of the 6 year period, to the nearest whole number?

Answer 1

Answer:

291870 kilotons

Step-by-step explanation:

Since the country cuts its carbon content by 1.1% each year. The initial value at the first year is 50000. Therefore this can be represented by the exponential function:

y = a(b)ˣ ⁻ ¹

where y is the amount of carbon emission in kilotons in x years.

a = 50000, b = 100% - 1.1% = 98.9% = 0.989

y = 50000(0.989)ˣ ⁻ ¹

In the first year: y = 50000(0.989)¹ ⁻ ¹ = 50000

In the second year: y = 50000(0.989)² ⁻ ¹ = 49450

In the third year: y = 50000(0.989)³ ⁻ ¹ = 48906

In the fourth year: y = 50000(0.989)⁴ ⁻ ¹ = 48368

In the fifth year: y = 50000(0.989)⁵ ⁻ ¹ = 47836

In the sixth year: y = 50000(0.989)¹ ⁻ ¹ = 47310

The total emission in 6 years = 50000 + 49450 + 48906 + 48368 + 47836 + 47310 = 291870 kilotons