7.26.

Bacteria grow in a nutrient solution at a rate proportional to

the amount present. Initially, there are 250 strands of the
bacteria in the solution which grows to 800 strands after seven
hours. Find (a) an expression for the approximate
number of strands in the culture at any time t and (b) the time
needed for the bacteria to grow to 1600 strands.
7.27. Bacteria grow in a culture at a rate proportional to the
amount present. Initially, 300 strands of the bacteria are in
the culture and after two hours that number has grown by 20
percent. Find (a) an expression for the approximate
number of strands in the culture at any time t and (b) the time
needed for the bacteria to double its initial size.
7.28. A mold grows at a rate proportional to its present size.
Initially there is 2 oz of this mold, and two days later there
is 3 oz. Find (a) how much mold was present after one day and (b)
how much mold will be present in ten days.CHAP. 7] APPLICATIONS
OF FIRST-ORDER DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS 69
7.29. A mold grows at a rate proportional to its present size. If the
original amount doubles in one day, what proportion
of the original amount will be present in five days? Hint:
Designate the initial amount by N0. It is not necessary to
know N0 explicitly.
(a) JV=250e0166'; (b) 11.2 ht

7.30. A yeast grows at a rate proportional to its present size. If the

original amount doubles in two hours, in how many
hours will it triple?
7.31. The population of a certain country has grown at a rate
proportional to the number of people in the country. At
present, the country has 80 million inhabitants. Ten years ago it
had 70 million. Assuming that this trend continues,
find (a) an expression for the approximate number of people living
in the country at any time t (taking t = 0 to be
the present time) and (b) the approximate number of people who
will inhabit the country at the end of the next
ten-year period.

7.32. The population of a certain state is known to grow at a rate

proportional to the number of people presently living in
the state. If after 10 years the population has trebled and if after
20 years the population is 150,000, find the number
of people initially living in the state.
7.33. A certain radioactive material is known to decay at a rate
proportional to the amount present. If initially there are
100 milligrams of the material present and if after two years it is
observed that 5 percent of the original mass has
decayed, find (a) an expression for the mass at any time t and (b)
the time necessary for 10 percent of the original
mass to have decayed.
7.34. A certain radioactive material is known to decay at a rate
proportional to the amount present. If after one hour it is
observed that 10 percent of the material has decayed, find the
half-life of the material. Hint: Designate the initial
mass of the material by N0. It is not necessary to know N0
explicitly.
7.35. Find N(t) for the situation described in Problem 7.7.
7.36. A depositor places $10,000 in a certificate of deposit which
pays 6 percent interest per annum, compounded
continuously. How much will be in the account at the end of seven
years, assuming no additional deposits or
withdrawals?
7.37. How much will be in the account described in the previous
problem if the interest rate is 7y percent instead?
7.38. A depositor places $5000 in an account established for a
child at birth. Assuming no additional deposits or withdrawals,
how much will the child have upon reaching the age of 21 if the
bank pays 5 percent interest per annum
compounded continuously for the entire time period?

7.39. Determine the interest rate required to double an

investment in eight years under continuous compounding.
7.40. Determine the interest rate required to triple an investment
in ten years under continuous compounding.
7.41. How long will it take a bank deposit to triple in value if
interest is compounded continuously at a constant rate of
5^ percent per annum?
7.42. How long will it take a bank deposit to double in value if
interest is compounded continuously at a constant rate of
81 percent per annum?
7.43. A depositor currently has $6000 and plans to invest it in an
account that accrues interest continuously. What interest
rate must the bank pay if the depositor needs to have $10,000 in
four years?
7.44. A depositor currently has $8000 and plans to invest it in an
account that accrues interest continuously at the rate of