Exponential Growth and Decay: Fresh Take

  • Apply the exponential growth formula to real-world cases like increasing populations or investments
  • Describe how long it takes for quantities to double or reduce by half
  • Implement the exponential decay formula for scenarios like radioactive substances decaying or objects cooling down

Exponential Growth Model

The Main Idea 

  • Exponential Growth Model:
    • General form: [latex]y = y_0 e^{kt}[/latex]
    • [latex]y_0[/latex]: Initial state of the system
    • [latex]k[/latex]: Positive growth constant
  • Key Feature:
    • Rate of growth is proportional to current function value
    • [latex]y' = ky[/latex]
  • Applications:
    • Population growth
    • Compound interest
  • Compound Interest Formula:
    • [latex]\text{Balance} = P e^{rt}[/latex]
    • [latex]P[/latex]: Principal (initial investment)
    • [latex]r[/latex]: Interest rate (as a decimal)
    • [latex]t[/latex]: Time (in years)
  • Doubling Time:
    • Time for a quantity to double in exponential growth
    • Formula: [latex]\text{Doubling time} = \frac{\ln 2}{k}[/latex]

Consider a population of bacteria that grows according to the function [latex]f(t)=500{e}^{0.05t},[/latex] where [latex]t[/latex] is measured in minutes. How many bacteria are present in the population after [latex]4[/latex] hours? When does the population reach [latex]100[/latex] million bacteria?

Suppose instead of investing at age [latex]25\sqrt{{b}^{2}-4ac},[/latex] the student waits until age 35. How much would she have to invest at [latex]5\text{%}?[/latex] At [latex]6\text{%}?[/latex]

Suppose it takes [latex]9[/latex] months for the fish population in the last example to reach [latex]1000[/latex] fish. Under these circumstances, how long do the owner’s friends have to wait?

A bacteria culture starts with [latex]1000[/latex] cells and grows exponentially. After [latex]2[/latex] hours, there are [latex]1500[/latex] cells. How many cells will be present after [latex]5[/latex] hours?

Exponential Decay Model

The Main Idea 

  • Exponential Decay Model:
    • General form: [latex]y = y_0 e^{-kt}[/latex]
    • [latex]y_0[/latex]: Initial state of the system
    • [latex]k[/latex]: Positive decay constant
  • Key Feature:
    • Rate of decay is proportional to current function value
    • [latex]y' = -ky[/latex]
  • Applications:
    • Newton’s Law of Cooling
    • Radioactive decay
    • Population decline
  • Newton’s Law of Cooling:
    • [latex]T = (T_0 - T_a)e^{-kt} + T_a[/latex]
    • [latex]T[/latex]: Temperature of object
    • [latex]T_0[/latex]: Initial temperature
    • [latex]T_a[/latex]: Ambient temperature
  • Half-Life:
    • Time for a quantity to reduce by half in exponential decay
    • Formula: [latex]\text{Half-life} = \frac{\ln 2}{k}[/latex]

Suppose the room is warmer [latex](75\text{°}\text{F})[/latex] and, after [latex]2[/latex] minutes, the coffee has cooled only to [latex]185\text{°}\text{F}.[/latex] When is the coffee first cool enough to serve? When is the coffee be too cold to serve? Round answers to the nearest half minute.

If we have [latex]100[/latex] g of [latex]\text{carbon-}14,[/latex] how much is left after [latex]t[/latex] years? If an artifact that originally contained [latex]100[/latex] g of carbon now contains [latex]20g[/latex] of carbon, how old is it? Round the answer to the nearest hundred years.

A radioactive sample initially contains [latex]100[/latex] grams of a certain isotope. After [latex]30[/latex] days, the sample contains [latex]80[/latex] grams of the isotope. What is the half-life of this isotope?