According to the U. S. Census Bureau, the population of the United States in 2016 was 324 million people. The rate of growth in population was 0.8% per year. Assume that this rate of growth remains the same through 2035. Explain why the population is an exponential function of time. A. Population is an exponential function of time because the population growth rate is always −1.

B. Population is an exponential function of time because the percentage growth rate is constant.

C. Population is an exponential function of time because the population is always shrinking.

D. Population is an exponential function of time because the percentage growth rate is always 1.

E. Population is an exponential function of time because the population is always growing.

What would you predict the U. S. population to be in 2035 (in millions of people)? (Round your answer to the nearest million.)
million people