SOLUTION: 2. A cell divides into two identical copies every 4 minutes. How many cells will exist after 3 hours?

Question 155383: 2. A cell divides into two identical copies every 4 minutes. How many cells will exist after 3 hours?
Answer by jim_thompson5910(35256) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Start with the general exponential function

Plug in and (since the number of cells double every 4 minutes)

Divide both sides by

Take the natural log of both sides.

Take the natural log of 2 to get 0.69315.

Divide both sides by 4

So the growth/decay constant is

Go back to the general exponential function

Plug in (since we start from one cell), , and (note 180 minutes = 3 hours)

Multiply 0.17329 and 180 to get 31.1922

Raise "e" to the 31.1922 power to get

Multiply

So after 3 hours, there are approximately cells which is about 35.2 trillion cells
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