To find the rate of change per month as a percent for the function $f(t) = 4800(0.84)^t$, we need to determine the monthly decay rate.

The multiplier in the function is $0.84$, which indicates that each month, the number of board feet consumed is 84% of what it was the previous month.

To convert this into a percentage rate of change:

• Since $0.84$ represents 84%, the decay rate is $100\% - 84\% = 16\%$.

Thus, the rate of change per month as a percent is:

$\text{Rate of change} = 16\%$

Summary:

• The number of board feet consumed initially: 4800 board feet.
• The multiplier: 0.84.
• The rate of change per month as a percent: 16%.

Would you like further details or have any other questions? Here are some questions you might ask:

1. Can you show how to graph this function?
2. What would the function look like if the rate of change was different?
3. How does this exponential decay affect long-term consumption?
4. What are real-world examples of similar exponential decay functions?
5. How can this model be used to predict future consumption?

Tip: When dealing with exponential decay, the rate of change is the difference between 100% and the multiplier expressed as a percentage.