A population of rabbits on a farm grows by 12% each year. Assume that this increase occurs as new baby rabbits at the beginning of each new year. Define a sequence {rn} describing the rabbit population at the beginning of each year. Suppose that the sequence starts with r1 = 30. for the first year. As the sequence is a model for the actual population, we accept fractional numbers in the sequence. (a) Determine r12. Determine a formula for rn, for general n. (b) If each rabbit consumes 10 pounds of rabbit food each year, then how much rabbit food is consumed during the 10th year? How much rabbit food is consumed in total for the 1st through 10th years? Express this as a summation and as an exact number.

a) r₁₂ = 104.36

In general, rₙ = arⁿ⁻¹

b)

- rabbit food consumed during the 10th year is approximately 832 pounds

- rabbit food consumed in total for the 1st through 10th years is approximately 5265 pounds

Step-by-step explanation:

Given that:

r1 = 30 and a farm grows by 12%

a = 30 and the common ratio r = 1.12

now

n           r

1        30.00

2       33.60

3       37.63

4       42.15

5       47.21

6       52.87

7       59.21

8       66.32

9       74.28

10      83.19

11       93.18

12      104.36

Therefore r₁₂ = 104.36

In general, rₙ = arⁿ⁻¹

b)

if each rabbit consume 10 lbs of rabbit food each year

n           r                food consumed(lbs)

1        30.00               300

2       33.60               336

3       37.63                376

4       42.15                422

5       47.21                472

6       52.87               529

7       59.21                592

8       66.32               663

9       74.28               743

10      83.19                832

total                          5265

Therefore, the rabbit food consumed during the 10th year is approximately 832 pounds

And the rabbit food consumed in total for the 1st through 10th years is approximately 5265 pounds