According to most estimates, the population of polar bears is decreasing at a rate of 0.85% per year. There were estimated to be about 26,000 polar bears living in 2008. If the population ever reaches 10,000, polar bears will be functionally extinct: there won't be enough genetic diversity left in any one place for the population to ever recover. If this decline continues, what model should we use to represent it? Write the model, using the variables q = quantity of polar bears and t = time since 2008 in years. Be careful converting 0.85% to a decimal. Make sure you only move the decimal point over by two places.
a. ( q = 26000(0.85)ᵗ )
b. ( q = 26000(1 - 0.0085)ᵗ )
c. ( q = 26000(0.0085)ᵗ )
d. ( q = 26000(1 + 0.0085)ᵗ )