\begin{tabular}{l} How does \( f(t)=1.15^{t} \) change over the interval from \( t=4 \) to \( t=5 \) ? \\ \( f(t) \) decreases by a factor of 1.15 \\ \( f(t) \) decreases by 1.15 \\ \( f(t) \) increases by \( 115 \% \) \\ \( f(t) \) increases by a factor of 1.15 \\ \hline\end{tabular}
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The Deep Dive
At \( t=4 \), we have \( f(4) = 1.15^4 \). When we calculate \( f(5) \), it becomes \( f(5) = 1.15^5 \). The function \( f(t) \) is exponential, which means it will increase as \( t \) increases! In fact, moving from \( t=4 \) to \( t=5 \), \( f(t) \) increases by a factor of \( 1.15 \). So the correct answer is that \( f(t) \) increases by a factor of \( 1.15 \). To truly understand this exponential growth, think of compound interest or population growth. Each time unit (in our case, each time step \( t \)) represents not just a simple linear increase, but a multiplication of the previous value, showcasing how powerful exponential functions can be in real-life scenarios! Imagine an investment at \( 1.15^{t} \) growing over time—exactly how your money can become much better with the right rate!