Question

A bacteria population decreases by a factor of 1/2 every 4 hours. Explain why we could also say that the population decays by a factor of (1/2 )^1/4 every hour.

Answer 1

The population decays by a factor of (1/2 )^1/4 every hour.

Exponential Function

An exponential function is in the form:

y = abˣ

Where a is the initial value of y, b is the multiplier, y and x are variables.

Let y represent the bacteria population after x hours.

A bacteria population decreases by a factor of 1/2 every 4 hours.

$y=\frac{1}{2} ^\frac{x}{4}= \frac{1}{2} ^{(\frac{1}{4})x}$

The population decays by a factor of (1/2 )^1/4 every hour.

Find out more on Exponential Function at: brainly.com/question/12940982