Question

A population of 240 birds increases at a rate of 16% annually. Jemel writes an exponential function of the form f(x) = abx to represent the number of birds after x years. Which values should she use for a and b?

a =

b =

Answer 1

a = 240

b = 1.16

So f(x) = 240(1.16)^x, since 240 is the initial population and 1.16 = 1 + 0.16 is the annual growth factor.