Bacteria can divide every 20 minutes, so 1 bacterium can multiply to 2 in 20 minutes, 4 in 40 minutes, and so on. How man bacteria will there be in 6 hours? Write your answer using exponents, and then evaluate. I only want help not the answer.

Question

anonymous · Answer

2^9

anonymous · Answer

512

anonymous · Answer

sorry didn't see the last part

anonymous · Answer

yeah well according to the back of the textbook it's 2^18

anonymous · Answer

stupid textbook

anonymous · Answer

ohhh... 6 hours... I did 3 hours

anonymous · Answer

lol that explains it

anonymous · Answer

But how did you find the answer that's what I'm after

anonymous · Answer

okay, so the key is to look at everything in terms of 2

anonymous · Answer

ok, then?

anonymous · Answer

at first:

when the time is 0 the number of bacteria are 1
when the time is 20 the number of bacteria is 2
when the time is 40 the number of bacteria is 4

2^0=1
2^1=2
2^2=4

anonymous · Answer

see the pattern? Take the time... divide it by 20... use that number, and raise two to that number.

there are 360 minutes in 6 hours.

360 minutes/20 minutes =18

2^18 is the answer

anonymous · Answer

but how is 2^0=1 2 = 2 not 1

anonymous · Answer

whenever a number is raised to the power of 0 it equals 1
whenever it is raised to the first power it equals itself.

anonymous · Answer

Oh ok, the teacher didn't tell us that :P