if the mouse population is 25,000 and its decreasing at the rate of 20% then what is the population in 3 years?

Answer 1

p = 25000(0.80)³

Answer 2

The initial population is 25,000. If it decreases by 20% each year, then you can find next year's population by taking this year's population and multiplying by 0.8. If you then want to calculate the population in two years, you should multiply next year's population by 0.8. If you want to find the population in three years, you take the population in two years' time and multiply it by 0.8. You get the pattern.

In other words, the population p(t) follows the equation

p(t) = 25000*0.8^t, where p is population and t is time in years.