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Net change in population via integration of a rate

The population of a town is growing at a rate of P′(t)=200e0.05tP'(t) = 200e^{0.05t} people per year, where tt is measured in years.

Use the Net Change Theorem to find the total change in population from t=0t=0 to t=10t=10. That is, evaluate ∫010200e0.05t dt\int_0^{10} 200e^{0.05t}\,dt and interpret the result as the number of people added to the population over this 10-year period.

Hint

Use u-substitution with u=0.05tu = 0.05t, so du=0.05 dtdu = 0.05\,dt. Rewrite the integral in terms of uu, find the antiderivative, then either convert the bounds to uu-values or back-substitute to tt before plugging in t=0t=0 and t=10t=10.

Step-by-step solution

Let u=0.05tu = 0.05t, so du=0.05 dtdu = 0.05\,dt, which means dt=du/0.05dt = du/0.05. Substituting gives ∫200eu⋅du0.05=4000∫eu du=4000eu+C\int 200e^{u} \cdot \frac{du}{0.05} = 4000\int e^u\,du = 4000e^u + C. Back-substituting u=0.05tu = 0.05t gives the antiderivative 4000e0.05t+C4000e^{0.05t} + C, so P(t)=4000e0.05t+CP(t) = 4000e^{0.05t} + C (an antiderivative of P′(t)P'(t)).

By the Net Change Theorem, ∫010200e0.05t dt=[4000e0.05t]010=4000e0.5−4000e0\int_0^{10} 200e^{0.05t}\,dt = \left[4000e^{0.05t}\right]_0^{10} = 4000e^{0.5} - 4000e^{0}. This simplifies to 4000(e0.5−1)≈4000(1.6487−1)≈2594.94000(e^{0.5} - 1) \approx 4000(1.6487 - 1) \approx 2594.9. Thus the population increases by about 2595 people over the 10-year period.

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