Question

Part 1 (12 pts): How are exponential growth and decay present in the real world? Give at least 2 examples for exponential growth and 2 examples of exponential decay.

Answer 1

Exponential Growth and Decay
 Exponential growth is when a growth rate of a mathematical function is proportional to the functions current value. For example the number of microorganisms in a culture will grow exponentially, One breaks into two, two breaks into four, then four into eight and so on. This will continue to grow and flourish until the nutrients are depleted. Also Economic growth is expressed in percentage terms implying exponential growth, for example U.S GDP per capita has grown at exponential rate for approximately two percent per year for two centuries.


Somthing is subject to Exponential Decay if it decreases at a rate proportional to its value. There are many examples of Exponential Decay in the real world that are used everyday.Such as vehicles, they are a great example of this because the value of cars will slowly but surely decay over time and the longer you have a vehicle the more the value will decrease.

exponential growth: Population, compound interest, growth of a virus
exponential decay: half life(the pesticide DDT,etc), Tennis tournament, heat transfer