We have studied bacteria and know that they reproduce by fission or simple-cell division. Streptococcus bacteria cause the well-known illness, strep throat. The bacteria can reproduce every 20 minutes.

According to a published source, if these bacteria continue unchecked, at the end of 24 hours this colony of bacteria would have a mass of 2 million pounds! Needless to say, this could not really happen in your throat.

If you inhaled a single strep bacterium today at noon and it reproduced, unchecked, every 20 minutes, at approximately what time would the colony outweigh you?

Question

We have studied bacteria and know that they reproduce by fission or simple-cell division. Streptococcus bacteria cause the well-known illness, strep throat. The bacteria can reproduce every 20 minutes.

According to a published source, if these bacteria continue unchecked, at the end of 24 hours this colony of bacteria would have a mass of 2 million pounds! Needless to say, this could not really happen in your throat.

If you inhaled a single strep bacterium today at noon and it reproduced, unchecked, every 20 minutes, at approximately what time would the colony outweigh you?