## calculusxy 3 years ago MEDAL

1. calculusxy

2. calculusxy

Can you explain?

3. calculusxy

I will try my best to understand if only you can post your method. I wish to understand on how I can solve this problem.

4. calculusxy

@ganeshie8

5. calculusxy

@hartnn

6. amoodarya

after 20 min a--->2a after 20 min 2a--->4a so after4 hours = 4*3 (20min) $a \times 2^{12}=4096 a$

7. hartnn

"each" microbes means A =1 so u just need 'n' now how many '20 minutes' interval are there in 4 hrs ?

8. hartnn

"population of only one microbe" thats why A=1

9. calculusxy

The difficulty that I have is when it says about A being the initial size of the population. What does that mean?

10. hartnn

initial population means how many microbes are taken into consideration before reproduction process starts

11. calculusxy

So what would I put for A?

12. hartnn

"population of only one microbe" thats why A=1

13. calculusxy

Doesn't this have a repetition of like 12 more times then? Or something else?

14. hartnn

in 4 hours? since they reproduce every 20 minutes, in 4 hours, they will reproduce 12 times. thats why n=12 now you have everything you need to use the formula given.

15. calculusxy

Yes I was talking for 4 hours. Anyway, will the formula be like: $P=12 \times 2^{12}$ @hartnn

16. hartnn

A =1, not 12

17. calculusxy

Okay. Makes more sense now. This is because the first size was 1 right? But would the new formula be like: $P= 1 \times 2^{12}$

18. calculusxy

Which $P=4096$

19. hartnn

yes, correct. initial means only at the beginning, not at every interval ...

20. calculusxy

Thank you @hartnn . You are a really good teacher. If I need more help, may I ask you?

21. hartnn

sure, no problem :) welcome ^_^