Step 1 :Translate the problem into a mathematical model. This is an exponential decay problem, where the value of the laptop decreases by a certain percentage each year. We can model this situation with the exponential decay formula: \(V = P * (1 - r)^t\), where \(V\) is the final value ($500), \(P\) is the initial value ($2500), \(r\) is the rate of decrease (25% or 0.25), and \(t\) is the time in years.
Step 2 :We want to find the smallest \(t\) such that \(V <= $500\). We can rearrange the formula to solve for \(t\): \(t = \log_{(1 - r)}\frac{V}{P}\).
Step 3 :Plug in the given values and solve for \(t\): \(P = 2500\), \(V = 500\), \(r = 0.25\), \(t = 6\).
Step 4 :Final Answer: The laptop computer will be worth $500 or less after \(\boxed{6}\) years.