Applying Exponential Rules: Real-Life Scenarios for 8th Graders

A scientist is studying bacteria growth. If the bacteria double every hour, how many bacteria will there be after 5 hours if they start with 2?

• 16

• 64

• 32

• 128

A computer's processing speed is measured in gigahertz (GHz). If a computer has a speed of 2^3 GHz, what is its speed in GHz?

• 2 GHz

• 4 GHz

• 16 GHz

• 8 GHz

A tree grows at a rate of 3^2 cm per year. How much will it grow in 4 years?

• 36 cm

• 48 cm

• 24 cm

• 12 cm

A car's value decreases by half every year. If the car is worth $16,000 now, what will its value be after 3 years using the exponent rule for decay?

• $4,000

• $1,000

• $8,000

• $2,000

A population of fish in a lake is represented by the expression 5^x, where x is the number of years since the lake was stocked. If x = 4, how many fish are in the lake?

• 625

• 1000

• 500

• 750

A cell phone plan offers 2^4 GB of data per month. How many gigabytes of data does the plan provide?

• 16 GB

• 32 GB

• 8 GB

• 4 GB

A video game has a level system where each level requires 2^n points to advance, with n being the level number. How many points are needed to reach level 5?

• 30

• 50

• 62

• 100

A factory produces 3^3 toys each day. How many toys does it produce in a week?

• 175

• 150

• 210

• 189

A savings account earns interest at a rate of 2^5% per year. What is the interest rate in percentage?

• 40%

• 25%

• 16%

• 32%

A recipe calls for 2^3 cups of flour. If you want to make half the recipe, how many cups of flour do you need?

• 4 cups

• 2 cups

• 1 cup

• 8 cups