Amath teacher gets a starting salary of $30,000. if she gets a 1.5% increase in salary each year, what will her total income be over a thirty year period?
this was a past mathlete problem.
i know we have to use an exponential function, but do i have to use the base e? or should i just do a base of 1.015?

No it is not base e.  It is 1.015.

An increase of 1.5 % =  1.015 

Year            1,             2,                       3,, 30.
               30000, 3000(1.015),  30000(1.015)², 30000(1.015)²⁹

Her Total Income is sum over the thirty 30 year period:

Sn =  a(r^n  - 1) / (r - 1);                a = 30000,  r = 1.015,  n = 30

Sn =  30000 ( 1.015^30  -  1) / (1.015 - 1)

      =  30000 (1.56308022 - 1) / (0.015) =  1126160.44

Total =  $ 1 126 160.44

1+1=22×1=22-1=11-1=1duh