Select the correct answer.
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?
A. 99.1 cm^2
B. 16.5 cm^2
C. 125.3 cm^2
D. 14.7 cm^2
Since the area covered by moss multiplies by 1.5 each month, the final area covered by moss after 6 months can be calculated using the formula:
final area = initial area * (1.5)^number of months
In this case, the initial area is 11 square centimeters and the number of months is 6.
final area = 11 * (1.5)^6
final area ≈ 125.3 cm^2
Therefore, the correct answer is C. 125.3 cm^2.