Applications of Exponential Functions
Applications of Exponential Functions
EXPONENTIAL
FUNCTIONS
A TRANSFORMATION OF AN
EXPONENTIAL FUNCTION
WITH BASE b IS A FUNCTION
OF THE FORM
APPLICATIONS IN REAL-LIFE OF EXPONENTIAL
FUNCTIONS AND TRANSFORMATIONS
•POPULATION GROWTH
•HALF-LIFE/EXPONENTIAL DECAY
•COMPOUND INTEREST
POPULATION GROWTH
• Formula:
• The population after n years is 𝑃(1 + 𝑟)𝑛 .
• If the population P is decreasing, at the end of n years, the population would be
𝑃(1 − 𝑟)𝑛
• Problem 1. A town has a population of 40,000 that is decreasing at the rate of
5% per year. Approximate the population of the town after 6 years.
• Solution: Given: P=40,000, r=5%=0.05, and n=6
• The population after 6 years, 𝑃6 = 𝑃(1 + 𝑟)𝑛 = (40,000)(1 + 0.05)6
• =53,603.83=53,604
PROBLEM 2. 1. Population (Growth)
1. Let t= time in days. At t=0, there were initially 20
2.
bacteria. Suppose that the bacteria doubles every 100
hours. Give an exponential model for the bacteria as a
function of t.
Initially, at t=0, number of bacteria=20
at t=100, number of bacteria=20(2)
at t=200, number of bacteria=20(2)2
at t=300, number of bacteria=20(2)3
at t=400, number of bacteria=20(2)4
Solution:
Exponential model:
r t
Use A = P (1 + ) where m is the number
m
of times the amount is compounded a year.
2. Eunice deposited P1,000 in a bank that pays 5%
compound interest annually. How much money will
she save after 2 years?
3. Suppose that the half-life of a substance is 250 years. If there were initially
100g of the substance,
a. Give an exponential model for the situation.
b. How much will remain after 500 years
4. A researcher is investigating a specimen of bacteria.
She finds that the original 1000 bacteria grew to
2,048,000 in 60 hours. How fast does the bacteria
a. Double
b. quadruple