16Hit1600
Problem-Solving and Data AnalysisVery hardPrediction from a doubling model

Problem-Solving and Data Analysis practice question

The population of a colony of bats is modelled by P(t) = 50 · 2^(t/5), where t is the number of years after the colony was first counted. According to the model, what is the population 15 years after the first count?

Answer: 400

2^(15/5) = 2³ = 8, and 50 × 8 = 400.

Common wrong answers

If you answered 150
150 adds 50 to 100, as if growth were linear.
If you answered 200
200 uses 2² instead of 2³.
If you answered 800
800 uses 2⁴.

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