What is the value of k in the equation?

i need help

The table shows the balance of a money market account over time. write a function that represents the balance y (in dollars) after t years.

At the beginning of 1974/75,2 years a man invested #2000 in a bank at 12.5% compound interest, if it degree #650 at the end of each two years to pay his son's school fees, after payment of interest to pay his son's school fees, how much did he have left at the beginning of the 1978/79 school year?

Hell . what are the solutions to `10x^2 - 38x - 8 = 0`? is this when i find the factors and use the numbers within the factors to determine the zeros? i hope that made sense lol