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Applications of Exponential Functions PDF

Exponential functions can model growth or decay, such as cell growth, population growth/decay, and interest/cooling. The initial value is when t=0. Half-life is the time for half of the initial value in decaying models. The long run value is the horizontal asymptote approached as t→∞ in decay models. The rate of growth/decay is the base, which can be modified. Examples show calculating population growth over time and determining the rate and half-life of a decaying population.

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Shane Rajapaksha
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122 views

Applications of Exponential Functions PDF

Exponential functions can model growth or decay, such as cell growth, population growth/decay, and interest/cooling. The initial value is when t=0. Half-life is the time for half of the initial value in decaying models. The long run value is the horizontal asymptote approached as t→∞ in decay models. The rate of growth/decay is the base, which can be modified. Examples show calculating population growth over time and determining the rate and half-life of a decaying population.

Uploaded by

Shane Rajapaksha
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Applications of Exponential Functions

Exponential Model
𝐴(𝑡) = 𝐴 × 𝑎 + 𝐶

Modelling growth if 𝑎 > 1 and 𝑘 > 1 Modelling decay if 0 < 𝑎 < 1 or 𝑘 < 0
Cell growth Radioactive decay
Population growth Population decay
Continuously compounded interest Cooling temperatures
Data increases due to repeated multiplication Data decreases due to repeated division, approaching a value

Initial Value
The initial value occurs when 𝑡 = 0. That is 𝐴(0) = 𝐴 + 𝐶

Half-Life
The time it takes for there to be half of the initial value for a decaying model.
𝐴 +𝐶 1
That is, solving the equation ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ = 𝐴 × 𝑎 + 𝐶 ⇒ 𝑎 = ⎯⎯for 𝑡
2 2

Long Run Value


The value a decay model approaches in the long run. That is as 𝑡 → ∞, 𝐴 → 𝐶, the horizontal asymptote.

Rate of Growth / Decay


The rate of growth or decay is the base of the exponential, but can be modified by multiplying the variable index.
rate rate
For a percentage increase then 𝑎 = 1 + ⎯⎯⎯ . For a percentage decrease then 𝑎 = 1 − ⎯⎯⎯ .
100 100
For 𝑒 , the continuous rate is 𝑏.

Example
A particular bacteria double every hour.
If a petri dish initially contains 10 bacteria, how many are in the dish after 1 day?
𝐴 = 10 × 2 ⇒ 𝐴 = 10 × 2 = 167 772 160 bacteria

Example
A population of sheep is decaying exponentially. At a particular time, there were 1000 sheep observed. Six
months later, 800 sheep remained. Determine a function, 𝐴, that models the population of the sheep 𝑡 months
after the first observation.
𝐴 = 1000,
4 4 1 4
𝐴 = 1000 × 𝑒 , 800 = 1000 × 𝑒 ⇒ 𝑒 = ⎯⎯⇒ 6𝑏 = log ⎯⎯ ⇒ 𝑏 = ⎯⎯log ⎯⎯ ≈ −0.0372
5 5 6 5
.
∴ 𝐴 = 1000 × 𝑒

The continuous rate at which the population of sheep is decaying is 3.72%


The half-life of the population of sheep is
log (0.5)
𝑒 . = 0.5 ⇒ −0.0372𝑡 = log (0.5) ⇒ 𝑡 = ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ = 18.63 ≈ 19 months
−0.0372

Example
A bacteria is doubling and grows from 200 to 2000 in 5 hours.
A function that describes the amount of bacteria, 𝐴, after 𝑡 hours is

1
𝐴 = 200 × 2 , 2000 = 200 × 2 ⇒2 = 10 ⇒ 5𝑘 = log (10) ⇒ 𝑘 = ⎯⎯log (10) .
5
( )
∴ 𝐴 = 200 × 2⎯⎯

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