Congressional pay in 2000 was $141.3 thousand, and it increased by approximately $3.6 thousand per year for the period 2000€“2009.
a. Complete Table 31 to help find an expression that stands for the congressional pay (in thousands of dollars) at t years since 2000. For example, t = 3 stands for the year 2003, because 2003 is 3 years after 2000. Show the arithmetic to help you see a pattern.

b. Evaluate the expression you found in part (a) for t = 7. What does your result mean in this situation?
c. Congress has had a pay freeze since 2009 due to a poor economy. The pay freeze might be lifted in 2015. If the congressional pay is increased by 1% in 2015, what will be the pay in that year?

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Table 31 Congressional Pay Congressional Pay (thousands of dollars) Years since 2000