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.

1 answer

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.