5. In 1980, the number of African elephants was 1,200,000 but that number was decreasing 5.25% a year.

a. How many African elephants were there in 1988? Show either your table or your calculation.

b. How many years did it take for the population to reach 1/2 of what it was originally? Use logs and round answer to the nearest tenth.

Question

5. In 1980, the number of African elephants was 1,200,000 but that number was decreasing 5.25% a year. 

a. How many African elephants were there in 1988?  Show either your table or your calculation.

b. How many years did it take for the population to reach 1/2 of what it was originally?  Use logs and round answer to the nearest tenth.

anonymous · Answer

$$1,200,000(.948)^8$$ should do it for the first one

anonymous · Answer

second one solve 
$$\frac{1}{2}=(.948)^t$$ for $t$ via 
$$t=\frac{\ln(.5)}{\ln(.948)}$$

anonymous · Answer

so i got 12.98 so is that 12.98 years?

anonymous · Answer

yeah, about 13 years

anonymous · Answer

so how would you do that using logs then