Understanding Exponential Growth

Mr. Anderson explains exponential growth using rabbits and bacteria as examples. He covers the calculation of growth rates, demonstrates population growth over generations, and uses spreadsheets to model different scenarios. An algebraic solution is also provided, and the concept is applied to bacteria, highlighting the limitations of exponential growth.

What does the variable 'n' represent in the context of exponential growth?

• Number of generations

• Population size

• Time period

• Growth rate

How is the growth rate 'r' calculated in a population?

• By subtracting deaths from births and dividing by the initial population size

• By adding births and deaths

• By multiplying the initial population size by time

• By dividing the number of births by the number of deaths

What happens to the population when the growth rate remains constant over time?

• The population decreases

• The population remains the same

• The population increases exponentially

• The population increases linearly

What is the advantage of using spreadsheets to model exponential growth?

• They provide exact numbers without rounding

• They allow for easy visualization and manipulation of data

• They are faster than algebraic calculations

• They do not require any formulas

What shape does the exponential growth curve typically take?

• J-shaped

• Linear

• S-shaped

• Circular

In the algebraic solution for exponential growth, what does the variable 'T' represent?

• Growth rate

• Number of births

• Population size

• Time

How does the exponential growth formula change when applied to bacteria instead of rabbits?

• The time 'T' becomes negative

• The initial population 'n' becomes zero

• The growth rate 'r' becomes one

• The growth rate 'r' becomes zero

What is a key limitation of exponential growth in real-world scenarios?

• It only applies to small populations

• It predicts a constant population size

• It assumes unlimited resources

• It requires a negative growth rate

What happens to the growth rate 'r' as resources become limited?

• It becomes negative

• It decreases

• It remains constant

• It increases

What type of growth occurs when the growth rate 'r' starts to change due to limited resources?

• Linear growth

• Exponential growth

• Static growth

• Logistic growth