Quadratic growth
Saving the elephants
 |
The African elephant is an endangered species that may
become extinct unless action is taken to save it.
It is estimated that during the 1940s there were
3-5 million elephants in Africa. Today there are fewer than
half a million. The reasons for the disappearance of
the elephants are the reduction of their living space
due to human activities and elephant
hunting for ivory. International organizations devoted
to nature conservation, like the
WWF,
undertake various projects for saving elephants.
|
|
An annual survey held in an African reservation
showed an alarming decrease in the number of elephants:
| year |
estimated number of elephants |
| 1991 |
670 |
| 1992 |
640 |
| 1993 |
600 |
| 1994 |
550 |
| 1995 |
490 |
An urgent project to save the elephant population in the region
was initiated, including the prevention of elephant hunting
and increasing the open space available for elephants.
In the five years following the beginning of the project,
the following figures were obtained:
| year |
estimated number of elephants |
| 1996 |
430 |
| 1997 |
380 |
| 1998 |
340 |
| 1999 |
310 |
| 2000 |
290 |
As a volunteer consultant to the organization that
operates the project, you must examine the results and
recommend whether it should be
continued over the next several years.
|
|
Advise about the continuation of the project
|
|
Analyze the dependence of the number
of elephants on time, both before and after the
beginning of the emergency project.
Use the
From value table to change
and the Quadratic growth tools to represent this dependence.
|
|
Prepare a report to the nature conservation organization, and
answer the following questions:
- Would the elepahnts in the
region have become extinct without the emergency project? If so, by when?
- Does the project improve the situation of the elephants? Will it
prevent their extinction?
- What is your prediction for the elephant population in the
next decade?
|
|
|
Make your recommendation regarding the continuation of
the emergency project and explain
your reasoning.
|
|
|
|
|
|
