Population growth

Question

The population of a colony of mosquitoes obeys the law of uninhabited growth. If there are 1000 mosquitoes initially and there are 1800 after 1 day what is the size of the colony after 3 days? How long is it until there are 90,000 mosquitoes?

Answer 1

Assuming you mean "uninhibited" growth

 

A = A₀e^kt, where A₀ = starting amount, e = Euler's constant, k = amount of increase, t = time

 

1800 = 1000e^k

1800 / 1000 = e^k

1.8 = e^k

ln 1.8 = k ln e

0.5878 ≈ k

 

A ≈ 1000e^0.5878(3)

A ≈ 1000e^1.7863

A ≈ 1000(5.9673)

A ≈ 5967