MathBench > Population Dynamics

Mystery of the Missing Housefly

Applet: Exponential growth

You should end up with something that looks like this:

fliest = fliest-1*2

fliest=0 = 3

month #flies
Jan 3
Feb 6
Mar 12
April 24
May 48
June 96
July 192
August 384
Sept 768
Oct 1516
Nov 3032
Dec 6064

 

The applet below allows you to investigate the exponential growth process further. The line that is already on the applet is the solution to the starting-with-3-flies, 2-eggs-per-fly-per-month problem above. You can change the growth rate (by moving the slider).

What happens to dynamics as the growth rate increases?

What if the growth rate is BELOW 1? In other words, if the population is experiencing negative growth?

 

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