Problema Solution

If a bateria culture starts with 5000 bateria and doubles every 25 minutes, how many minutes will it take the population to reach 34000?

Answer provided by our tutors

start: 5,000 bacteria


after 25 min: 2*5,000 = 10,000 bacteria


after 2*25 min: (2*2)*5,000 = (2^2) * 5,000 bacteria


after 25*t min: (2^t) * 5,000 bacteria


lets find for which t: (2^t)*5000 = 34000


(2^t)*5000 = 34000 divide both sides by 5,000


2^t = 34/5


by solving we find:


t = (log(34/5))/(log(2))


t = 2.7655


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25*t = 25*2.7655 = 69.14 min


in 69.14 min the population will reach 34,000 bacteria.