Step 1 :The population in a certain city was 55,000 in 2000, and its future size is predicted to be \(P(t)=55,000 e^{0.017t}\), where \(t\) is the number of years after 2000.
Step 2 :a. This model indicates that the population is \(\textbf{increasing}\).
Step 3 :b. To estimate the population of the city in 2003, we need to find the value of \(P(t)\) when \(t=3\) (since 2003 is 3 years after 2000).
Step 4 :Substitute \(t=3\) into the function \(P(t)=55,000 e^{0.017t}\).
Step 5 :Calculate the result to get \(P_t = 57877.75913057621\).
Step 6 :Round \(P_t\) to the nearest whole number to get \(57878\).
Step 7 :Final Answer: The estimated population of the city in 2003 is \(\boxed{57878}\).