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In a certain colony of bacteria, the number of bacteria doubles every day. The colony starts with 3 bacteria, and has 6 at the end of day 1, 12 at the end of day 2, and so on. What is the number of the first day which ends with the colony having more than 100 bacteria?

 Jan 28, 2015

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 #2
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+5

$$\\T_n=ar^{n-1}\\\\
3*2^{n}>100\\\\
2^{n}>100/3\\\\
log2^{n}>log(100/3)\\\\
nlog2>log(100/3)\\\\
n>log(100/3)\div log2\qquad\\\\$$

 

$${\frac{{log}_{10}\left({\frac{{\mathtt{100}}}{{\mathtt{3}}}}\right)}{{log}_{10}\left({\mathtt{2}}\right)}} = {\mathtt{5.058\: \!893\: \!689\: \!053\: \!568\: \!6}}$$

 

n has to be greater than this so 6 days.

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I failed to mention a couple of things here  in this GP sequence a=3 and r=2

but the number wanted is the n+1 because it is the END of that day.  So I changed the sqeuence around a little and made 3 be the 'zero' term and then I was looking for the n'th term.

I hope I didn't s***w it up   That would not be good  

 Jan 28, 2015
 #1
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The bacteria will reach 100+ on day 6.

 Jan 28, 2015
 #2
avatar+118609 
+5
Best Answer

$$\\T_n=ar^{n-1}\\\\
3*2^{n}>100\\\\
2^{n}>100/3\\\\
log2^{n}>log(100/3)\\\\
nlog2>log(100/3)\\\\
n>log(100/3)\div log2\qquad\\\\$$

 

$${\frac{{log}_{10}\left({\frac{{\mathtt{100}}}{{\mathtt{3}}}}\right)}{{log}_{10}\left({\mathtt{2}}\right)}} = {\mathtt{5.058\: \!893\: \!689\: \!053\: \!568\: \!6}}$$

 

n has to be greater than this so 6 days.

-------------------------------------------------

I failed to mention a couple of things here  in this GP sequence a=3 and r=2

but the number wanted is the n+1 because it is the END of that day.  So I changed the sqeuence around a little and made 3 be the 'zero' term and then I was looking for the n'th term.

I hope I didn't s***w it up   That would not be good  

Melody Jan 28, 2015

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