During a 3h-experiment, the number of bacteria increased fro

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fskilnik@GMATH: GMAT Instructor; Posts: 1449; Joined: Sat Oct 09, 2010 2:16 pmFollowed by: 33 members; Thanked: 59 times

by fskilnik@GMATH » Tue Feb 26, 2019 2:40 pm

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GMATH practice exercise (Quant Class 12)

During a 3h-experiment, the number of bacteria increased from 10^4 (at the start) to 8 times this value (at the end), according to a biological law associated with an exponential function (as shown), where a and b are positive constants. If Madame Curie knows that a certain critical number of bacteria in this experiment is reached at exactly 30 minutes after the experiment begins, which of the following is closest to this critical value?

(A) 20,000 bacteria
(B) 18,000 bacteria
(C) 16,000 bacteria
(D) 14,000 bacteria
(E) 12,000 bacteria

Answer: [spoiler]____(D)__[/spoiler]

Fabio Skilnik :: GMATH method creator ( Math for the GMAT)
English-speakers :: https://www.gmath.net
Portuguese-speakers :: https://www.gmath.com.br

Source: Beat The GMAT — Problem Solving | Tue Feb 26, 2019 2:40 pm

fskilnik@GMATH: GMAT Instructor; Posts: 1449; Joined: Sat Oct 09, 2010 2:16 pmFollowed by: 33 members; Thanked: 59 times

by fskilnik@GMATH » Wed Feb 27, 2019 7:38 am

fskilnik@GMATH wrote:GMATH practice exercise (Quant Class 12)

During a 3h-experiment, the number of bacteria increased from 10^4 (at the start) to 8 times this value (at the end), according to a biological law associated with an exponential function (as shown), where a and b are positive constants. If Madame Curie knows that a certain critical number of bacteria in this experiment is reached at exactly 30 minutes after the experiment begins, which of the following is closest to this critical value?

(A) 20,000 bacteria
(B) 18,000 bacteria
(C) 16,000 bacteria
(D) 14,000 bacteria
(E) 12,000 bacteria

$$f\left( t \right) = a \cdot {b^t}\,\,\,{\rm{bacteria}}\,\,\,\,\,\left( {{\rm{at}}\,\,t \ge 0\,\,{\rm{hours}}} \right)$$
$$? = f\left( {{1 \over 2}} \right) = a \cdot \sqrt b $$

$$\left( {0\,;\,{{10}^4}} \right) \in \,\,{\rm{graph}}\left( f \right)\,\,\,\, \Rightarrow \,\,\,\,{10^4} = a \cdot {b^0} = a\,\,\,\,\left( * \right)$$
$$\left( {3\,;\,8 \cdot {{10}^4}} \right) \in \,\,{\rm{graph}}\left( f \right)\,\,\,\,\, \Rightarrow \,\,\,\,8 \cdot \,{10^4}\,\,\,\mathop = \limits^{\left( * \right)} \,\,\,{10^4} \cdot {b^3}\,\,\,\, \Rightarrow \,\,\,\,b = 2$$

$$?\,\, = \,\,{10^4} \cdot \sqrt 2 \,\, \cong \,\,1.41 \cdot {10^4} = 14100\,\,\,\,\, \Rightarrow \,\,\,\,\left( {\rm{D}} \right)$$

We follow the notations and rationale taught in the GMATH method.

Regards,
Fabio.

Fabio Skilnik :: GMATH method creator ( Math for the GMAT)
English-speakers :: https://www.gmath.net
Portuguese-speakers :: https://www.gmath.com.br

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