Exponential Growth & Decay

SAT-Style Practice — 20 Questions

LuxEdu

1.
g(t) = 5,000(1.06)t
The function g models the balance, in dollars, of an investment account t years after the
account was opened. Which statement is the best interpretation of g(4) = 6,312?

A) After $4, the account balance is $6,312.

B) After 6,312 years, the account balance is $4.

C) After 4 years, the account balance is $6,312.

D) After 4 years, the account balance has increased by $6,312.

2. A new car was purchased for $32,000. Each year, the value of the car decreased by
approximately 15% of its value the previous year. Which of the following equations represents
the value, V , of the car t years after purchase?

A) V = 32,000(1.15)t

B) V = 32,000(0.15)t

C) V = 0.85(32,000)t

D) V = 32,000(0.85)t

3.
h(t) = 25,000(0.97)t
A paper published in 2000 estimated that the number of wild elephants in a region can be
modeled by the equation above, where h is the number of elephants and t is the number of
years since 2000. Which statement is the best interpretation of h(10) = 18,480?

A) The estimated number of wild elephants in the region in 2010 is 18,480.

C) In 2010, the elephant population is 3% less than 18,480.

D) The elephant population decreases by 18,480 elephants per year after 2000.

4. A savings account had a balance of $5,000 in January. Each month, the balance grew by
approximately 0.5% of the balance the previous month. Which of the following equations
represents the balance, B, of the account m months after January?

A) B = 5,000 + 0.005m

B) B = 5,000(1.005)m

C) B = 5,000(0.005)m

D) B = 5,000(0.995)m

5.
f (x) = 3.2(0.5)2x
A sample of carbon-14 decays radioactively. The function f models the mass, in grams, of
carbon-14 in the sample x hours after it is initially measured. Which statement is the best
interpretation of f (1) = 0.8?

A) After 0.8 hours, the mass of carbon-14 is 1 gram.

B) After 1 hour, the mass of carbon-14 has decreased by 0.8 grams.

C) After 1 hour, the mass of carbon-14 in the sample is 0.8 grams.

D) After 0.8 hours, the mass of carbon-14 has decreased by 1 gram.

6. A forest had 8,200 trees in 2010. Due to logging, the number of trees decreased by
approximately 7% each year. Which of the following equations represents the number of
trees, T , in the forest t years after 2010?

A) T = 8,200(1.07)t

B) T = 8,200(0.07)t

C) T = 0.93(8,200)t

D) T = 8,200(0.93)t

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7.
P (t) = 18,000(0.88)t
The function P models the value, in dollars, of a motorcycle t years after it was purchased.
Which statement is the best interpretation of P (3) = 12,300?

A) After 3 years, the motorcycle’s value has decreased by $12,300.

B) After 3 years, the motorcycle’s value is $12,300.

C) After 12,300 years, the motorcycle is worth $3.

D) The motorcycle loses $3 in value every 12,300 years.

8. A bacteria culture started with 250 cells. The number of cells doubled every day. Which
of the following equations represents the number of bacteria cells, C, after d days?

A) C = 250 + 2d

B) C = 2(250)d

C) C = 250d2

D) C = 250(2)d

9.
W (d) = 12(0.75)d
The function W models the amount of a pain-relief medication, in milligrams, remaining in a
patient’s bloodstream d days after the patient stops taking the medication. Which statement
is the best interpretation of W (2) = 6.75?

A) After 6.75 days, there are 2 milligrams of medication remaining.

B) After 2 days, the patient must take 6.75 milligrams of medication.

C) After 2 days, the medication level has decreased by 6.75 milligrams.

D) After 2 days, there are 6.75 milligrams of medication remaining in the bloodstream.

10. A certain city had a population of 45,000 in 2015. Each year, the population increased
by approximately 2% of the population the previous year. Which of the following equations
represents the population, P , of the city t years after 2015?

A) P = 45,000(1.02)t

B) P = 0.02(45,000)t

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 C) P = 45,000(0.02)t

D) P = 1.02(45,000)t

11.
N (t) = 400(2)t
The function N models the number of bacteria in a culture t hours after the experiment
began. Which statement is the best interpretation of N (5) = 12,800?

A) After 12,800 hours, there are 5 bacteria in the culture.

B) After 5 hours, the number of bacteria has increased by 12,800.

C) After 5 hours, there are 12,800 bacteria in the culture.

D) The bacteria count increases by 5 every 12,800 hours.

12. A social media account had 1,200 followers in March. Each month, the number of
followers increased by approximately 12% of the previous month’s total. Which of the
following equations represents the number of followers, F , m months after March?

A) F = 1,200(0.12)m

B) F = 1.12(1,200)m

C) F = 1,200 + 0.12m

D) F = 1,200(1.12)m

13.
Q(t) = 50,000(1.03)t
The function Q models the population of a town t years after 2005. Which statement is the
best interpretation of Q(7) = 61,520?

A) In 2005, the population of the town was 61,520.

B) The population increases by 61,520 people every 7 years.

C) After 61,520 years, the population of the town is 7.

D) The estimated population of the town in 2012 is 61,520.

14. A radioactive sample had a mass of 640 grams. The mass decreased by 50% every year
due to radioactive decay. Which of the following equations represents the mass, M , in grams,
t years later?

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 A) M = 640(1.5)t

B) M = 640(0.5)t

C) M = 640(2)t

D) M = 640(0.05)t

15.
A(n) = 8,000(1.005)n
The function A models the balance, in dollars, of a savings account n months after the
account was opened. Which statement is the best interpretation of A(12) = 8,493?

A) After 12 months, the account balance has grown by $8,493.

B) After 12 months, the account balance is $8,493.

C) After $8,493 months, the account balance is $12.

D) The account earns $12 interest every 8,493 months.

16. A small town had a population of 3,750 in 2000. Each year for the next 10 years, the
population decreased by approximately 4% of the population the previous year. Which of
the following equations represents the population, N , of the town t years after 2000, where
t ≤ 10?

A) N = 0.96(3,750)t

B) N = 3,750(1.04)t

C) N = 3,750(0.96)t

D) N = 3,750(0.04)t

17.
f (x) = 128(0.5)4x
A researcher models the mass, in micrograms, of a radioactive isotope remaining in a sample x
hours after the experiment begins. Which statement is the best interpretation of f (0.5) = 8?

A) After 8 hours, 0.5 micrograms of the isotope remain.

B) After 0.5 hours, there are 8 micrograms of the isotope remaining.

C) After 0.5 hours, the mass has decreased by 8 micrograms.

D) After 0.5 hours, the mass is 8 times its original value.

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18. A startup company had revenues of $120,000 in its first year. Each subsequent year,
revenues grew by approximately 25% of the previous year’s revenues. Which of the following
equations represents the revenue, R, in dollars, t years after the first year?

A) R = 120,000 + 25,000t

B) R = 1.25(120,000)t

C) R = 120,000(0.25)t

D) R = 120,000(1.25)t

19.
V (t) = 2,500(1.08)t
The function V models the value, in dollars, of a rare comic book t years after it was first
sold. Which statement is the best interpretation of V (6) = 3,969?

A) After $3,969 years, the comic book is worth $6.

B) After 6 years, the comic book’s value has increased by $3,969.

C) After 6 years, the value of the comic book is $3,969.

D) The comic book increases in value by $6 every 3,969 years.

20. A lake had a population of 9,000 fish in 2018. Each year, the fish population decreased
by approximately 8% due to overfishing. Which of the following equations represents the
fish population, F , t years after 2018?

A) F = 9,000(1.08)t

B) F = 0.92(9,000)t

C) F = 9,000(0.08)t

D) F = 9,000(0.92)t