Exercise · ZW-EXPONENTIAL-GROWTH-AND-DECAY-005 · ★★☆ Intermediate

A capital grows with \(y'=0.04y\). After roughly how long does it double?

Choose one option.

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  • A. 17.3

Explanation

Solve \(e^{0.04t}=2\): \(t=\ln2/0.04\approx17.3\). Computing 1 divided by \(0.04\) skips the logarithm.

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Review the concept: Exponential growth and decay

A quantity \(y\) with initial value \(y_0\) grows or decays exponentially when its rate of change is proportional to itself, with constant \(k\): it grows if \(k>0\), decays if \(k<0\).

\[y'=ky\;\Longrightarrow\; y(t)=y_0\,e^{kt}\]

More practice problems: exponential growth and decay

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