MathBench > Population Dynamics

Mystery of the Missing Housefly

Exponential growth

And two weeks later, there would be

14,400*120= about 1.7 million great-grandkids,

attending Ms. Domestica's funeral (in addition to 14,400 grandchildren and 120 daughters).

Such is the power of exponential growth -- within 3 generations, almost 2 million flies are produced. By the end of the summer, according to various calculations, the earth could be covered anywhere from 23 to 47 feet deep in flies -- all descendents of the One Fly.