David works at a science lab that conducts experiments on bacteria. The population of the bacteria multiplies at a constant rate, and his job is to notate the population of a certain group of bacteria each hour. At 1 p.m. on a certain day, he noted that the population was 600 and then he left the lab. He returned in time to take a reading at 4 p.m., by which point the population had grown to 4,800. Now he has to fill in the missing data for 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. What was the population at 3 p.m.? Choose the correct choice from the following answers:
A) 2400	B) 3600	C) 3000	D) 2800	E) 2500
let the rate be x, then population of the bacteria after each hour can be given as 600,600x, 600(x^2), 600(x^3)   now population at 4pm =4800   thus we have 600(x^3) = 4800 =8   thus x=2   therefore population at 3pm = 600(4) = 2400   2400nswer : 2400
<result>A</result>
David works at a science lab that conducts experiments on bacteria. The population of the bacteria multiplies at a constant rate, and his job is to notate the population of a certain group of bacteria each hour. At 1 p.m. on a certain day, he noted that the population was 600 and then he left the lab. He returned in time to take a reading at 4 p.m., by which point the population had grown to 4,800. Now he has to fill in the missing data for 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. What was the population at 3 p.m.?