Suppose that an investment of 13 dollars comma 000 has grown in value at a rate of 9 percent per year. If the current value is 16 dollars comma 835 point 3 8 , then how many years have passed?

Use compound growth: current value = starting value × (1 + annual rate)^years. Here, $16,835.38 ÷ $13,000 = 1.295029, and 1.09³ = 1.295029. Therefore, 3 years have passed, which is choice 3.

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