Question

Diseases tend to spread according to the exponential growth model. In the early days of AIDS, the growth factor (i.e. common ratio; growth multiplier) was around 2.0. In 1983, about 1800 people in the U.S. died of AIDS. If the trend had continued unchecked, how many people would have died from AIDS in 2003?

Answer 1

1,887,436,800

Explanation:

f(t) = a·b^t

f (t) = number of cases at year t

a = starting value = 1800 in 1983

b = growth factor = 2

t = years since 1983 = 2003 - 1983 = 20

f(t) = 1800·(2)^20 =

1,887,436,800

wyzant

philip p