Question

In a lab experiment, 40 bacteria are placed in a petri dish. The conditions are such that the number of bacteria is able to double every 17 hours. How many bacteria would there be after 4 hours, to the nearest whole number?

Answer 1

Answer:

59 bacteria would there be after 4 hours.

Step-by-step explanation:

Given:

Bacteria in the petri dish = 40

Time taken for the bacteria to be doubled  =17 hours

To Find:

To Find the number bacteria left after 4 hours = ?

Solution:

By using the proportionality,

After 17 hours the number of bacteria will be 80.

Let the number of bacteria after 4 hours be x

then

$\frac{80}{17} = \frac{x}{4}$

Now by cross multiplication

$17 \times x = 80 \times 4$

$17 x = 320$

$x=\frac{320}{17}$

x= 18. 82

So the number of bacteria after 4 hours will be

= 40 + 18.82

= 58.82

=59