Growing Bacteria...

Algebra Level 1

In a glass there is a bacteria growing at a very fast rate. Every second the bacteria multiplies into two. After a minute the whole glass is full of bacteria. Can you tell at what point of time was the bacteria half-full?

The answer is 59.

4 solutions

B.S. Ashwin
Feb 15, 2015

At each sec it doubles, so if at 60 sec it is full, then at 59 sec it will be half full!!

Vasudev Chandna
Mar 21, 2015

Since the bacteria doubles itself, if it is half full at 'x' seconds, then it will double and fill the glass in 'x+1' seconds.

x+1=60 (since the glass is full)

x=59 seconds

Nick Baker
May 2, 2015

Cool question, I like it!

Feathery Studio
Mar 24, 2015

Let $l$ represent the volume of the glass. If the formula can be expressed as

$2^{x}$ , where $x$ is the amount of seconds, then

$l=2^{60}$

At half full,

$\frac{l}{2} = \frac{2^{60}}{2} = 2^{59}$

therefore meaning that it will take 59 seconds to get to half full.

Growing Bacteria...

The answer is 59.

4 solutions

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