Answers:
The number of subscribers has decreased by 18% each year since the trend began.
There were 9000 subscribers when the trend began
EXPLANATION
Given the function, s(x )= 0.9(.82)^x
Since x is the number of years since the trend began
The function implies that the number of subscription is multiplied by 0.82 every year since the trend began.
⇒ The number of subscribers in each succeeding year is 82% of the previous year
⇒ Percentage reduction in number of subscriptions per year = 100% - 82%
⇒ Percentage reduction in number of subscriptions per year = 18%
Therefore, the number of subscribers has decreased by 18% each year since the trend began.
Also,
Given the function, s(x )= 0.9(.82)^x
Since x represents the number of years since the trend has been observed,
We can calculate the number of subscribers when the trend began, that is , for x = 0
s(x )= 0.9(.82)^x
s(0)= 0.9(.82)^0
s(0 )= 0.9(1)
s(0)= 0.9
We are told that the function models the number of subscription in tens of thousands
Therefore, number of subscription = 0.9 x 10,000
= 9,000
Therefore, there were 9000 subscribers when the trend began