Table of Contents

• The mystery
• 1. Introduction
• 2. The mystery
• 3. Exponential growth
• 4. Population dynamics
• 5. Exponential growth equation
• 6. You write the equation
• 7. Applet: Exp. growth
• 8. Summary of exp. growth
• 9. Assumptions about exp. growth
• 10. Applet: Once more with mortality
• 11. ...and an equation
• The plot thickens
• 12. Examining assumptions
• 13. Assumptions get violated
• 14. Carrying capacity...
• 15....mathematically expressed
• 16. Logistic growth
• 17. Applet: ... among elephants
• 18. Applet: ... among mice
• 19. Applet: ... among moths
• 20. Detour: chaotic dynamics
• 21. Applet: Seasonal changes
• 22. Applet: Disturbance = Death
• The case is cracked
• 23. You be the detective
• 24. Just the facts ma'am

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.