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Date May 2014 Marks available 3 Reference code 14M.2.sl.TZ2.8
Level SL only Paper 2 Time zone TZ2
Command term Find Question number 8 Adapted from N/A

Question

The number of bacteria in two colonies, AA and BB, starts increasing at the same time.

The number of bacteria in colony AA after tt hours is modelled by the function A(t)=12e0.4tA(t)=12e0.4t.

Find the number of bacteria in colony AA after four hours.

[2]
a.

Find the number of bacteria in colony AA after four hours.

[3]
b.

How long does it take for the number of bacteria in colony AA to reach 400400?

[3]
c.

The number of bacteria in colony BB after tt hours is modelled by the function B(t)=24ektB(t)=24ekt.

After four hours, there are 6060 bacteria in colony BB. Find the value of kk.

[3]
d.

The number of bacteria in colony BB after tt hours is modelled by the function B(t)=24ektB(t)=24ekt.

The number of bacteria in colony AA first exceeds the number of bacteria in colony BB after nn hours, where nZ. Find the value of n.

[4]
e.

Markscheme

correct substitution into formula     (A1)

eg     12e0.4(0)

12 bacteria in the dish     A1     N2

[2 marks]

a.

correct substitution into formula     (A1)

eg     12e0.4(4)

59.4363     (A1)

59 bacteria in the dish (integer answer only)     A1     N3

[3 marks]

b.

correct equation     (A1)

eg     A(t)=400, 12e0.4t=400

valid attempt to solve     (M1)

eg     graph, use of logs

8.76639

8.77 (hours)     A1     N3

[3 marks]

c.

valid attempt to solve     (M1)

eg     n(4)=60, 60=24e4k, use of logs

correct working     (A1)

eg     sketch of intersection, 4k=ln2.5

k=0.229072

k=ln2.54 (exact), k=0.229     A1     N3

[3 marks]

d.

METHOD 1

setting up an equation or inequality (accept any variable for n)     (M1)

eg     A(t)>B(t), 12e0.4n=24e0.229n, e0.4n=2e0.229n

correct working     (A1)

eg     sketch of intersection, e0.171n=2

4.05521   (accept 4.05349)     (A1)

n=5   (integer answer only)     A1     N3

METHOD 2

A(4)=59, B(4)=60   (from earlier work)

A(5)=88.668, B(5)=75.446     A1A1

valid reasoning     (R1)

eg     A(4)<B(4) and A(5)>B(5)

n=5   (integer answer only)     A1     N3

[4 marks]

e.

Examiners report

[N/A]
a.
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b.
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c.
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d.
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e.

Syllabus sections

Topic 2 - Functions and equations » 2.6 » Exponential functions and their graphs: xax , a>0 , xex .
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