In 2018, the population of West Littleton was 5,100. The following year, the population was 4,998.
Let t represent the number of years since 2018. Assuming the population continues to decrease exponentially, which expression best models the population of West Littleton over time?
4,998(0.98)^t 4,998(1.02)^t
5,100(1.02)^t 5,100(0.98)^t
According to this model, what will the population be in 2027?
Round your answer to the nearest whole number.
The correct expression that models the population of West Littleton over time is:
4,998(0.98)^t
To find the population in 2027, we need to determine the value of t. Since the year 2018 is the reference point, t represents the number of years since 2018. In this case, 2027 is 9 years after 2018.
Substituting t = 9 into the expression, we have:
4,998(0.98)^9 ≈ 4,998(0.8187) ≈ 4,090
Therefore, the population would be approximately 4,090 in 2027.