Paul is gathering data about moss growth in a local forest. He measured an area of 11 square centimeters on one particular tree and will come back in 6 months to measure the growth of the moss. If the area covered by moss multiplies by one and a half times each month, approximately how much area will the moss cover when Paul returns?
If the moss area multiplies by one and a half times each month, the area covered by moss after 6 months will be (1.5)^6 times the original area.
To calculate this value, we will use the formula A = A0 * (1.5)^t, where A is the final area, A0 is the original area, and t is the number of months.
A = 11 * (1.5)^6
A ≈ 11 * 9.11
A ≈ 100.21
Therefore, when Paul returns, the moss will cover approximately 100.21 square centimeters.