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Ch. 9 - Differential Equations
Briggs - Calculus: Early Transcendentals 3rd Edition
Briggs3rd EditionCalculus: Early TranscendentalsISBN: 9780136847243Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 9, Problem 9.5.38a

U.S. population projections According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the nation’s population (to the nearest million) was 296 million in 2005 and 321 million in 2015. The Bureau also projects a 2050 population of 398 million. To construct a logistic model, both the growth rate and the carrying capacity must be estimated. There are several ways to estimate these parameters. Here is one approach:


a. Assume t = 0 corresponds to 2005 and that the population growth is exponential for the first ten years; that is, between 2005 and 2015, the population is given by P(t) = P(0)exp(rt). Estimate the growth rate r using this assumption.

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Identify the given information: the population at time \(t=0\) (year 2005) is \(P(0) = 296\) million, and at \(t=10\) (year 2015) it is \(P(10) = 321\) million.
Recall the exponential growth model formula: \(P(t) = P(0) \times \exp(rt)\), where \(r\) is the growth rate we want to find.
Substitute the known values into the formula for \(t=10\): \(321 = 296 \times \exp(10r)\).
Isolate the exponential term by dividing both sides by 296: \(\frac{321}{296} = \exp(10r)\).
Take the natural logarithm of both sides to solve for \(r\): \(\ln\left(\frac{321}{296}\right) = 10r\), then express \(r\) as \(r = \frac{1}{10} \ln\left(\frac{321}{296}\right)\).

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Exponential Growth Model

Exponential growth describes a process where the rate of change of a quantity is proportional to its current value, leading to rapid increase over time. It is modeled by the equation P(t) = P(0)exp(rt), where P(0) is the initial population, r is the growth rate, and t is time. This model applies well to populations growing without constraints over short periods.
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Growth Rate Estimation

The growth rate r in an exponential model quantifies how quickly the population increases. It can be estimated by rearranging the exponential formula using known population values at two different times: r = (1/t) * ln(P(t)/P(0)). This calculation requires understanding logarithms and interpreting the time interval correctly.
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Logarithmic Functions and Natural Logarithm

Logarithms, especially the natural logarithm (ln), are the inverse of exponential functions and are essential for solving equations involving exponentials. In growth rate estimation, taking the natural log linearizes the exponential equation, allowing for straightforward calculation of r from population data.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question

{Use of Tech} Analytical solution of the predator-prey equations The solution of the predator-prey equations

X'(t) = -ax + bxy,y’(t) = cy - dxy

can be viewed as parametric equations that describe the solution curves. Assume a, b, c, and d are positive constants and consider solutions in the first quadrant.


a. Recalling that dy/dx = y(t)/x′(t), divide the first equation by the second equation to obtain a separable differential equation in terms of x and y.

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Textbook Question

{Use of Tech} Logistic equation for an epidemic When an infected person is introduced into a closed and otherwise healthy community, the number of people who contract the disease (in the absence of any intervention) may be modeled by the logistic equation

dP/dt=kP(1−P/A),P0=P_0,

where K is a positive infection rate, A is the number of people in the community, and P0 is the number of infected people at t=0. The model also assumes no recovery.

a. Find the solution of the initial value problem, for t≥0, in terms of K, A, and P0.

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Textbook Question

A second-order equation Consider the differential equation y''(t) - k²y(t) = 0 where k > 0 is a real number.


a. Verify by substitution that when k = 1, a solution of the equation is y(t) = C₁eᵗ + C₂e⁻ᵗ. You may assume this function is the general solution.

Textbook Question

A physiological model A common assumption in modeling drug assimilation is that the blood volume in a person is a single compartment that behaves like a stirred tank. Suppose the blood volume is a four-liter tank that initially has a zero concentration of a particular drug. At time t = 0, an intravenous line is inserted into a vein (into the tank) that carries a drug solution with a concentration of 500 mg/L. The inflow rate is 0.06 L/min. Assume the drug is quickly mixed thoroughly in the blood and that the volume of blood remains constant.

a. Write an initial value problem that models the mass of the drug in the blood, for t ≥ 0.

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Textbook Question

23–26. Stirred tank reactions For each of the following stirred tank reactions, carry out the following analysis.

a. Write an initial value problem for the mass of the substance.


A 500-L tank is initially filled with pure water. A copper sulfate solution with a concentration of 20 g/L flows into the tank at a rate of 4 L/min. The thoroughly mixed solution is drained from the tank at a rate of 4 L/min.

Textbook Question

Solving Bernoulli equations Use the method outlined in Exercise 43 to solve the following Bernoulli equations.


a. y′(t) + y = 2y²

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