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Exponential Word Problems Practice

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Exponential Word Problems Practice

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geyi614
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© All Rights Reserved
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10 - Exponentials Word Problems Practice MCR3U – Exponential Functions

Date: __________________________________________

Exponentials Word Problems Practice


1. Suppose that d days from now, the number of bees, , in a colony is given by the
formula: = 125 2 .
a) How many bees were there initially?
b) After how many days will the number of bees double?
c) How many bees are there after 14 days?

2. The population of a bacteria culture doubles after 1.5 h. An experiment begins with 620
bacteria. Determine the number of bacteria after:
a) 10 h
b) 3 days

3. The half-life of a radioactive material is about 2 years. How much of a 5.0 kg sample of
this material will remain after:
a) 4 years
b) 18 months

4. The population of a city, , is increasing exponentially. At time t = 0 years, the


population is 35,000. In 10 years, the population is 44,400.
a) Find the growth rate, b, in = .
b) Using the value of b calculated in part a), write an equation that models the
population, P, after t years.
c) Using your equation, find the population after 25 years.

5. A radioactive form of uranium has a half-life of 2.5 × 10 years.


a) Find the remaining mass of a 1.0 g sample after t years.
b) Determine the mass of this sample after 50,000 years.

6. A tennis ball is dropped from a height of 10 m. Each time the ball touches the ground, it
bounces up to about 45% of the maximum height of the previous bounce. Determine its
height after five bounces to the nearest centimetre.

7. The value of a new sports car will depreciate, or decrease, by about 20% at the end of
the first year. By the end of the next year, the value of the sports car at the end of the
first year will depreciate by 20% again. This pattern continues. Find the value of the
car 6 years after it was bought for $38,900.

8. You want to buy a new car, and you have investigated the trade-in value of your current
car. Three months ago, the trade-in value was $3,200. The trade-in value is now
$3,125. What will be the trade-in value of your car six months from now if it is
depreciating exponentially?

Page 1 of 2
10 - Exponentials Word Problems Practice MCR3U – Exponential Functions

Answers
1.
a) 125
b) 5 days
c) 871
2.
a) 62988 b) 1.745 × 10
3.
a) 1.25 kg b) 2.97 kg
4.
a) 1.024
b) = 35000 1.024
c) 25 = 63,324

5.

. ×!"
a) = 1.0
b) 50000 = 0.87 %
6. 0.18 m or 18 cm
7. $10197.40
8. $2980.23

Page 2 of 2

Common questions

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Exponential growth describes a process where a quantity increases by a constant proportional rate, represented as P(t) = P_0 * (1 + r)^t, leading to rapid increases. In contrast, exponential decay describes diminishing quantities, using P(t) = P_0 * (1 - r)^t, where each unit decrease is a certain percentage of the total, leading to an asymptotic approach to zero. These fundamentals characterize processes from population growth to asset depreciation .

To calculate the future population, first determine the growth rate using the exponential growth formula P(t) = P_0 * b^t. With P_0 = 35,000 and P(10) = 44,400, solve 44,400 = 35,000 * b^10 for b, resulting in b = (44,400/35,000)^(1/10) = 1.024. Using this growth rate, the population after 25 years is P(25) = 35,000 * 1.024^25 = 63,324 .

The value of a car that depreciates exponentially is calculated using the formula V(t) = V_0 * (1-r)^t, where V_0 is the initial value, r is the rate of depreciation, and t is the time in years. Each year, the value decreases by a fixed percentage of the previous year's value, which results in exponential decay. For a car initially worth $38,900 with a 20% annual depreciation rate, after 6 years its value is V(6) = 38,900 * 0.8^6 = $10,197.40 .

To derive models, identify initial conditions, calculate growth or decay rates through known data points, then use them in formulas like P(t) = P_0 * b^t for growth or M(t) = M_0 * (1/2)^(t/T) for decay. Estimations can also refine these models. Models can be adjusted by retrofitting using additional data points to ensure accuracy and relevance .

The initial number of bees is determined by evaluating the given formula for exponential growth at day zero. In the case of the colony modeled by the formula n(d) = 125 * 2^d, the initial number of bees is n(0) = 125 * 2^0 = 125 bees .

A radioactive sample decreases to half its original amount over each half-life period. The remaining mass after time t is calculated using M(t) = M_0 * (1/2)^(t/T), where M_0 is the initial mass and T is the half-life. For a sample with a half-life of 2 years, after 4 years, 1.25 kg of the initial 5 kg will remain .

Continuous exponential depreciation reduces an object's value by a constant percentage each period, compounding over time. The projected value after a future time is found using V(t) = V_0 * (1-r)^t. For a car depreciating from $3,200 to $3,125 over three months, another six months of depreciation gives V(9 months) = 3,125 * (1 - r)^(6/3) = $2,980.23 .

The doubling time of an exponentially growing population is influenced by the growth rate, which is represented as the base of the exponent in the population formula. For instance, in the bee population model n(d) = 125 * 2^d, the constant growth factor of 2 indicates the population doubles when d increases by 1. Therefore, the intrinsic growth rate directly affects how quickly doubling occurs .

To determine the height after a series of bounces, use the formula for geometric sequences: h_n = h_0 * r^n, where h_0 is the initial height and r is the bounce rate. For a tennis ball bouncing to 45% of its previous height, the height after five bounces is h_5 = 10 * 0.45^5, yielding approximately 0.18 m or 18 cm .

Exponential and logarithmic functions are crucial for modeling natural growth and decay processes, such as population increase or radioactive decay. They enable us to predict future values by transforming complex multiplicative processes into manageable equations and solve for unknowns using inverses. This understanding aids in predicting behaviors, such as the time required for a population to double or a substance to reduce to a certain amount .

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