Exponents: growth and decay

Objectives: to be able to,

Contents
• use exponents to model exponential
1. Simple growth models. growth and decay,

2. Simple decay. • have an understanding of e and it’s use

in growth and decay models.
3. Introducing e.
Prior knowledge: you should already know
4. Growth and decay with e. how to,

5. Questions. • equations using the graph function on

your GDC,

• add and subtract percentage values.

Note: this lesson does not use any

knowledge of logarithms.
 Exponential growth

The population of the land of d) 1975

Messypotmania has been growing steadily
at a rate of 15% per annum since 1970.In 5 1.155 10.057 m
1970 it’s population was 5 million.
Calculate the population of Messypotmania
in: e) 1990

a) 1971 5 1.1520 81.833 m

5 1.15 5.75 m
f) n years after 1970

b) 1972

5 1.15n 
5 1.152 6.6125 m

This becomes our general model which we

c) 1973 can graph to find solutions.

5 1.153 7.604 m y 5(1.15x )

Exponential growth

y 5(1.15x )
 Exponential growth - models
The population of the land of
Messypotmania has been growing steadily Find a model in the form Pn P0an for each
at a rate of 15% per annum since 1970. In of the following.
1970 it’s population was 5 million.
Calculate the population of Messypotmania: 1. At time 0 there are 20mg bacteria present
in a petri dish. The bacteria are growing at a

In n years the population will be 5 1.15n  rate of 5% per hour.

A general model could be Pn P0 an  n

Pn 20 1.05 

Pn the population in the year n.

2. A scientist starts to grow bacteria with an
P0 the initital population, in this case 5 m. initial 150g. After a day he has 165g and after
two days he has 181.5g.
a0 the multiplying factor, in this case 1.15.
n
Pn 150 1.1 
n the year after 1970.
 Exponential decay
A company car is purchased for $30000. It is d) Use your model to find the value of the
estimated that the car will depreciate by car at the end of 5 years.
20% per annum.
$9830
a) Find the value of the car at the end of the
first year.
e) When the car is valued at less than $5000
$24000 it is to be sold off. In which year will the car
be sold off?
b) Write down the multiplying factor that
will be used in the model to show the value
of the car n years after purchase. The solution to this can be found using
natural logarithms. However, throughout
this lesson we will use graphical solutions to
0.8
solve such questions.
c) Write down a model for the value of the
car after n years. Graph the model on your GDC.

n
Vn 30000 0.8 
 Exponential decay
When the car is valued at less than $5000 it is to be sold off. In which year will the car
be sold off?

x
y 30000 0.8 

8 years
 The natural exponent - e
The following is a problem about compound What if the interest is paid twice a year?
interest that Jacob Bernoulli investigated in Your interest remains 100% p.a.
the 17th century.
2
1 1.5  $2.25

What if the interest is paid 4 times a year?

4
1 1.25  $2.44

What if the interest is paid 8 times a year?

Jacob Bernoulli 8
1 1.125  $2.57
$1 is invested in a bank which gives 100%
interest per annum paid annually. Can you produce a model and graph this for
Calculate the amount of money you have at n payments a year?
the end of one year.
n
 1
$2 M  1  
 n
 The natural exponent - e

x
 1
y  1  
 x

The exponent that Bernoulli discovered was one of the most beautiful constants that occurs
in mathematics and nature. The curve is heading towards e. e is an irrational number but it
tends towards 2.718281828.
e has lots of applications in mathematics but one use is within modeling exponential growth
and decay.
 e for growth
The mass of bacteria in a petri dish is growing c) Calculate how many hours it took for the
exponentially and is modelled by the function, bacteria reach a mass of 20000.
f (Mt ) 10e1.05t 20, where t is the time in
Draw a graph of y 10e(1.05x) 20.
hours after the start of the experiment.

a) Find the initial mass of bacteria.

Initially t 0

f (M0 ) 10e0 20

f (M0 ) 30

b) Find the mass of bacteria 8 hours after the Draw a line at y=20000 and find the x value.
start of the experiment.
f (M8 ) 10e(1.058)  20
7.2 hours

f (M8 ) 44491
 Natural decay with e
Newton's Law of Cooling is a model used to a) Write down the model to be used.
evaluate natural objects cooling in a given
environment. The model is, 
Tt 20  T0  20  e  0.3t 
 
Tt I  T0  I  e  at
b) Find the temperature of the body after
one hour.
Tt The temperature after t units.
I=Room temperature. 
Tt 20  37  20  e  0.3 
T0 Initial temperature.
T1 32.6 C
a
e =multiplying factor
c) The body has a temperature 24 degrees
One of the applications of Newton’s law of Celsius. How many hours have passed since
Cooling is to find the time of death of a death?
dead body.

Tt 20  17  e  0.3t 
A body is found at a room temperature of
20 degrees Celsius. Body temperature is Draw a graph of y 20 17e  0.3t and y 24.
normally 37 degrees Celsius. In this model Find the value of x at the intersection.
a=0.3 and t represents hours after death.
t 4.82 hours
 Questions
1. A model to show the rat population in a 2. A carbon particle is decaying exponentially.
science experiment t months after the start The model for the decay t days after the start
is given by P 500e0.8t . is given by C 30e  0.05t 10, where C is the
a) Find the initial rat population. mass of the particle.

a) Find the mass of the carbon particle.

P0 500
C0 40
b) Find the initial rat population 5 months after
the start of the experiment. b) Find the mass of the carbon particle 10
days after the start of the decay.
P5 27299
C10 28.2
c) The rats must be culled when the population
c) Find the value of t when the carbon particle
reaches 40000.
reaches half it's original mass.
After how many months will the cull take place.
t 22
t 5.48

See solution
See solution
 Worked answers
1. A model to show the rat population in a c) The rats must be culled when the population
science experiment t months after the start reaches 40000.
is given by P 500e0.8t . After how many months will the cull take place.

a) Find the initial rat population. Draw a graph of y 500e0.8x on your GDC.
Substitute t 0 Ensure you have the correct window.

P0 500e0.80
Draw y 4000 and find the intersect.

P0 500

b) Find the initial rat population 5 months after

the start of the experiment.
Substitute t 5
P0 500e0.85

P5 27299 t 5.48 Return

 Worked answers
2. A carbon particle is decaying exponentially. c) Find the value of t when the carbon particle
The model for the decay t days after the start reaches half it's original mass.
is given by C 30e  0.05t 10, where C is the Draw a graph of y 30e  0.05x 10.
mass of the particle. Ensure you have the correct window.
a) Find the mass of the carbon particle.

Substitute t 0
C0 30e  0.050 10

C0 40

b) Find the mass of the carbon particle 10 Draw y 20 and find the intersect.
days after the start of the decay.
Substitute t 10
C0 30e  0.0510 10

C10 28.2 t 22 Return