To model the population of Mastertown (y) based on the number of years since 2012 (x), we can use the formula for exponential growth:
\[ y = P_0(1 + r)^x \]
where:
- \(P_0\) is the initial population,
- \(r\) is the growth rate (as a decimal),
- \(x\) is the number of years since the initial population year.
Given:
- The initial population \(P_0 = 23,000\),
- The growth rate \(r = 2% = 0.02\).
Substituting these values into the formula gives us:
\[ y = 23000(1 + 0.02)^x \]
This simplifies to:
\[ y = 23000(1.02)^x \]
Therefore, the equation to model the population of Mastertown based on the number of years since 2012 is:
\[ y = 23000(1.02)^x \]