1. **State the problem:** The water level of a lake decreases by 3% each week. The initial highest water level is 520 ft. We need to find the water level after 8 weeks. 2. **Formula used:** This is an exponential decay problem. The formula for exponential decay is: $$ L = L_0 \times (1 - r)^t $$ where: - $L$ is the water level after $t$ weeks, - $L_0$ is the initial water level, - $r$ is the decay rate per week (as a decimal), - $t$ is the number of weeks. 3. **Identify values:** - $L_0 = 520$ ft - $r = 0.03$ (3%) - $t = 8$ weeks 4. **Calculate:** $$ L = 520 \times (1 - 0.03)^8 = 520 \times (0.97)^8 $$ 5. **Evaluate $(0.97)^8$:** $$ (0.97)^8 \approx 0.7894 $$ 6. **Find final water level:** $$ L \approx 520 \times 0.7894 = 410.9 $$ 7. **Interpretation:** After 8 weeks, the water level is approximately 410.9 ft. **Final answer:** The water level at the end of 8 weeks is about **410.9 ft**.