Geometric ratio problem












2















A lily pad sits on a pod. It doubles in size every day. It takes 30
days for it to cover the pond. If you start with 8 lily pads instead,
how many days does it take to cover the pond?




I think that the answer is $27$, but I don't really think that makes sense intuitively. I think that, intuitively, the answer should be less than $30/4$ since it is increasing at an exponential rate.










share|cite|improve this question


















  • 1




    Hint: Set up an algebraic equation relating to what the word problem is saying. You should see your answer then fairly easily.
    – John Omielan
    46 mins ago






  • 2




    It'll take $27$ days only. Think of it like this that (for the first case) on the second day no of lily pads will become $2$, on the third day $4$ and on the fourth $8$. In your second case you start your first day at this point
    – Sauhard Sharma
    41 mins ago


















2















A lily pad sits on a pod. It doubles in size every day. It takes 30
days for it to cover the pond. If you start with 8 lily pads instead,
how many days does it take to cover the pond?




I think that the answer is $27$, but I don't really think that makes sense intuitively. I think that, intuitively, the answer should be less than $30/4$ since it is increasing at an exponential rate.










share|cite|improve this question


















  • 1




    Hint: Set up an algebraic equation relating to what the word problem is saying. You should see your answer then fairly easily.
    – John Omielan
    46 mins ago






  • 2




    It'll take $27$ days only. Think of it like this that (for the first case) on the second day no of lily pads will become $2$, on the third day $4$ and on the fourth $8$. In your second case you start your first day at this point
    – Sauhard Sharma
    41 mins ago
















2












2








2








A lily pad sits on a pod. It doubles in size every day. It takes 30
days for it to cover the pond. If you start with 8 lily pads instead,
how many days does it take to cover the pond?




I think that the answer is $27$, but I don't really think that makes sense intuitively. I think that, intuitively, the answer should be less than $30/4$ since it is increasing at an exponential rate.










share|cite|improve this question














A lily pad sits on a pod. It doubles in size every day. It takes 30
days for it to cover the pond. If you start with 8 lily pads instead,
how many days does it take to cover the pond?




I think that the answer is $27$, but I don't really think that makes sense intuitively. I think that, intuitively, the answer should be less than $30/4$ since it is increasing at an exponential rate.







sequences-and-series algebra-precalculus






share|cite|improve this question













share|cite|improve this question











share|cite|improve this question




share|cite|improve this question










asked 51 mins ago









josephjoseph

4459




4459








  • 1




    Hint: Set up an algebraic equation relating to what the word problem is saying. You should see your answer then fairly easily.
    – John Omielan
    46 mins ago






  • 2




    It'll take $27$ days only. Think of it like this that (for the first case) on the second day no of lily pads will become $2$, on the third day $4$ and on the fourth $8$. In your second case you start your first day at this point
    – Sauhard Sharma
    41 mins ago
















  • 1




    Hint: Set up an algebraic equation relating to what the word problem is saying. You should see your answer then fairly easily.
    – John Omielan
    46 mins ago






  • 2




    It'll take $27$ days only. Think of it like this that (for the first case) on the second day no of lily pads will become $2$, on the third day $4$ and on the fourth $8$. In your second case you start your first day at this point
    – Sauhard Sharma
    41 mins ago










1




1




Hint: Set up an algebraic equation relating to what the word problem is saying. You should see your answer then fairly easily.
– John Omielan
46 mins ago




Hint: Set up an algebraic equation relating to what the word problem is saying. You should see your answer then fairly easily.
– John Omielan
46 mins ago




2




2




It'll take $27$ days only. Think of it like this that (for the first case) on the second day no of lily pads will become $2$, on the third day $4$ and on the fourth $8$. In your second case you start your first day at this point
– Sauhard Sharma
41 mins ago






It'll take $27$ days only. Think of it like this that (for the first case) on the second day no of lily pads will become $2$, on the third day $4$ and on the fourth $8$. In your second case you start your first day at this point
– Sauhard Sharma
41 mins ago












4 Answers
4






active

oldest

votes


















3














$27$ is the right answer. Consider at which point the original lily pad is 8 times its original size (after the days), and how long it takes it to cover the lake from there.



Also, this relative "indifference" to a seemingly large disparity in starting point ("$x$ times more to start with means it takes $30-y$ days rather than $30/y$") is exactly what exponential growth means.






share|cite|improve this answer





























    3














    Your answer is correct



    If we denote the size of the lily pad by $x$, then after $1$ day, the coverage becomes $2x$ , . . . Also let's denote the size of pond by $y$. The assumptions imposes that:$$2^{30}xge y$$and $$2^{29}x<y$$Now starting with $8$ lily pads we obtain $$2^{27}cdot 8xge y$$and$$2^{26}cdot 8x< y$$which shows that the completion of the process takes long as much as $27$ days.






    share|cite|improve this answer





























      2














      Hint $#1$:



      At the end of the $30$ days with one lilypad, the doubling means that the lilypad now encompasses the area of $2^{30}$ of the original lilypads.



      In that light, starting with $2^3 = 8$ lilypads and each one doubling in size per day, how many doublings will it take for you to get to $2^{30}$?



      (I know you've already solved this, I just think rewording/reframing the question might make it a bit easier to grasp on the intuitive level.)





      Hint $#2$:



      If that doesn't help ease your intuition behind your answer (which to my understanding is correct), keep in mind that starting with $8$ lilypads is basically no different than your first scenario after $3$ days. Sure, you have more lilypads, but since each doubles in size, it's no different than one lilypad of the same size as those $8$ put together then doubling. The number of lilypads differs, but we're focused on the total area encompassed.






      share|cite|improve this answer





























        2














        Starting with 8 pcs. is like 3 days have gone by. So 27 days remain.






        share|cite|improve this answer





















          Your Answer





          StackExchange.ifUsing("editor", function () {
          return StackExchange.using("mathjaxEditing", function () {
          StackExchange.MarkdownEditor.creationCallbacks.add(function (editor, postfix) {
          StackExchange.mathjaxEditing.prepareWmdForMathJax(editor, postfix, [["$", "$"], ["\\(","\\)"]]);
          });
          });
          }, "mathjax-editing");

          StackExchange.ready(function() {
          var channelOptions = {
          tags: "".split(" "),
          id: "69"
          };
          initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);

          StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function() {
          // Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
          if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled) {
          StackExchange.using("snippets", function() {
          createEditor();
          });
          }
          else {
          createEditor();
          }
          });

          function createEditor() {
          StackExchange.prepareEditor({
          heartbeatType: 'answer',
          autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
          convertImagesToLinks: true,
          noModals: true,
          showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
          reputationToPostImages: 10,
          bindNavPrevention: true,
          postfix: "",
          imageUploader: {
          brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
          contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
          allowUrls: true
          },
          noCode: true, onDemand: true,
          discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
          ,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
          });


          }
          });














          draft saved

          draft discarded


















          StackExchange.ready(
          function () {
          StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fmath.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f3067148%2fgeometric-ratio-problem%23new-answer', 'question_page');
          }
          );

          Post as a guest















          Required, but never shown

























          4 Answers
          4






          active

          oldest

          votes








          4 Answers
          4






          active

          oldest

          votes









          active

          oldest

          votes






          active

          oldest

          votes









          3














          $27$ is the right answer. Consider at which point the original lily pad is 8 times its original size (after the days), and how long it takes it to cover the lake from there.



          Also, this relative "indifference" to a seemingly large disparity in starting point ("$x$ times more to start with means it takes $30-y$ days rather than $30/y$") is exactly what exponential growth means.






          share|cite|improve this answer


























            3














            $27$ is the right answer. Consider at which point the original lily pad is 8 times its original size (after the days), and how long it takes it to cover the lake from there.



            Also, this relative "indifference" to a seemingly large disparity in starting point ("$x$ times more to start with means it takes $30-y$ days rather than $30/y$") is exactly what exponential growth means.






            share|cite|improve this answer
























              3












              3








              3






              $27$ is the right answer. Consider at which point the original lily pad is 8 times its original size (after the days), and how long it takes it to cover the lake from there.



              Also, this relative "indifference" to a seemingly large disparity in starting point ("$x$ times more to start with means it takes $30-y$ days rather than $30/y$") is exactly what exponential growth means.






              share|cite|improve this answer












              $27$ is the right answer. Consider at which point the original lily pad is 8 times its original size (after the days), and how long it takes it to cover the lake from there.



              Also, this relative "indifference" to a seemingly large disparity in starting point ("$x$ times more to start with means it takes $30-y$ days rather than $30/y$") is exactly what exponential growth means.







              share|cite|improve this answer












              share|cite|improve this answer



              share|cite|improve this answer










              answered 42 mins ago









              ArthurArthur

              111k7105186




              111k7105186























                  3














                  Your answer is correct



                  If we denote the size of the lily pad by $x$, then after $1$ day, the coverage becomes $2x$ , . . . Also let's denote the size of pond by $y$. The assumptions imposes that:$$2^{30}xge y$$and $$2^{29}x<y$$Now starting with $8$ lily pads we obtain $$2^{27}cdot 8xge y$$and$$2^{26}cdot 8x< y$$which shows that the completion of the process takes long as much as $27$ days.






                  share|cite|improve this answer


























                    3














                    Your answer is correct



                    If we denote the size of the lily pad by $x$, then after $1$ day, the coverage becomes $2x$ , . . . Also let's denote the size of pond by $y$. The assumptions imposes that:$$2^{30}xge y$$and $$2^{29}x<y$$Now starting with $8$ lily pads we obtain $$2^{27}cdot 8xge y$$and$$2^{26}cdot 8x< y$$which shows that the completion of the process takes long as much as $27$ days.






                    share|cite|improve this answer
























                      3












                      3








                      3






                      Your answer is correct



                      If we denote the size of the lily pad by $x$, then after $1$ day, the coverage becomes $2x$ , . . . Also let's denote the size of pond by $y$. The assumptions imposes that:$$2^{30}xge y$$and $$2^{29}x<y$$Now starting with $8$ lily pads we obtain $$2^{27}cdot 8xge y$$and$$2^{26}cdot 8x< y$$which shows that the completion of the process takes long as much as $27$ days.






                      share|cite|improve this answer












                      Your answer is correct



                      If we denote the size of the lily pad by $x$, then after $1$ day, the coverage becomes $2x$ , . . . Also let's denote the size of pond by $y$. The assumptions imposes that:$$2^{30}xge y$$and $$2^{29}x<y$$Now starting with $8$ lily pads we obtain $$2^{27}cdot 8xge y$$and$$2^{26}cdot 8x< y$$which shows that the completion of the process takes long as much as $27$ days.







                      share|cite|improve this answer












                      share|cite|improve this answer



                      share|cite|improve this answer










                      answered 32 mins ago









                      Mostafa AyazMostafa Ayaz

                      14.2k3937




                      14.2k3937























                          2














                          Hint $#1$:



                          At the end of the $30$ days with one lilypad, the doubling means that the lilypad now encompasses the area of $2^{30}$ of the original lilypads.



                          In that light, starting with $2^3 = 8$ lilypads and each one doubling in size per day, how many doublings will it take for you to get to $2^{30}$?



                          (I know you've already solved this, I just think rewording/reframing the question might make it a bit easier to grasp on the intuitive level.)





                          Hint $#2$:



                          If that doesn't help ease your intuition behind your answer (which to my understanding is correct), keep in mind that starting with $8$ lilypads is basically no different than your first scenario after $3$ days. Sure, you have more lilypads, but since each doubles in size, it's no different than one lilypad of the same size as those $8$ put together then doubling. The number of lilypads differs, but we're focused on the total area encompassed.






                          share|cite|improve this answer


























                            2














                            Hint $#1$:



                            At the end of the $30$ days with one lilypad, the doubling means that the lilypad now encompasses the area of $2^{30}$ of the original lilypads.



                            In that light, starting with $2^3 = 8$ lilypads and each one doubling in size per day, how many doublings will it take for you to get to $2^{30}$?



                            (I know you've already solved this, I just think rewording/reframing the question might make it a bit easier to grasp on the intuitive level.)





                            Hint $#2$:



                            If that doesn't help ease your intuition behind your answer (which to my understanding is correct), keep in mind that starting with $8$ lilypads is basically no different than your first scenario after $3$ days. Sure, you have more lilypads, but since each doubles in size, it's no different than one lilypad of the same size as those $8$ put together then doubling. The number of lilypads differs, but we're focused on the total area encompassed.






                            share|cite|improve this answer
























                              2












                              2








                              2






                              Hint $#1$:



                              At the end of the $30$ days with one lilypad, the doubling means that the lilypad now encompasses the area of $2^{30}$ of the original lilypads.



                              In that light, starting with $2^3 = 8$ lilypads and each one doubling in size per day, how many doublings will it take for you to get to $2^{30}$?



                              (I know you've already solved this, I just think rewording/reframing the question might make it a bit easier to grasp on the intuitive level.)





                              Hint $#2$:



                              If that doesn't help ease your intuition behind your answer (which to my understanding is correct), keep in mind that starting with $8$ lilypads is basically no different than your first scenario after $3$ days. Sure, you have more lilypads, but since each doubles in size, it's no different than one lilypad of the same size as those $8$ put together then doubling. The number of lilypads differs, but we're focused on the total area encompassed.






                              share|cite|improve this answer












                              Hint $#1$:



                              At the end of the $30$ days with one lilypad, the doubling means that the lilypad now encompasses the area of $2^{30}$ of the original lilypads.



                              In that light, starting with $2^3 = 8$ lilypads and each one doubling in size per day, how many doublings will it take for you to get to $2^{30}$?



                              (I know you've already solved this, I just think rewording/reframing the question might make it a bit easier to grasp on the intuitive level.)





                              Hint $#2$:



                              If that doesn't help ease your intuition behind your answer (which to my understanding is correct), keep in mind that starting with $8$ lilypads is basically no different than your first scenario after $3$ days. Sure, you have more lilypads, but since each doubles in size, it's no different than one lilypad of the same size as those $8$ put together then doubling. The number of lilypads differs, but we're focused on the total area encompassed.







                              share|cite|improve this answer












                              share|cite|improve this answer



                              share|cite|improve this answer










                              answered 45 mins ago









                              Eevee TrainerEevee Trainer

                              5,0971734




                              5,0971734























                                  2














                                  Starting with 8 pcs. is like 3 days have gone by. So 27 days remain.






                                  share|cite|improve this answer


























                                    2














                                    Starting with 8 pcs. is like 3 days have gone by. So 27 days remain.






                                    share|cite|improve this answer
























                                      2












                                      2








                                      2






                                      Starting with 8 pcs. is like 3 days have gone by. So 27 days remain.






                                      share|cite|improve this answer












                                      Starting with 8 pcs. is like 3 days have gone by. So 27 days remain.







                                      share|cite|improve this answer












                                      share|cite|improve this answer



                                      share|cite|improve this answer










                                      answered 24 mins ago









                                      zolizoli

                                      16.5k41743




                                      16.5k41743






























                                          draft saved

                                          draft discarded




















































                                          Thanks for contributing an answer to Mathematics Stack Exchange!


                                          • Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!

                                          But avoid



                                          • Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.

                                          • Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.


                                          Use MathJax to format equations. MathJax reference.


                                          To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.





                                          Some of your past answers have not been well-received, and you're in danger of being blocked from answering.


                                          Please pay close attention to the following guidance:


                                          • Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!

                                          But avoid



                                          • Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.

                                          • Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.


                                          To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.




                                          draft saved


                                          draft discarded














                                          StackExchange.ready(
                                          function () {
                                          StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fmath.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f3067148%2fgeometric-ratio-problem%23new-answer', 'question_page');
                                          }
                                          );

                                          Post as a guest















                                          Required, but never shown





















































                                          Required, but never shown














                                          Required, but never shown












                                          Required, but never shown







                                          Required, but never shown

































                                          Required, but never shown














                                          Required, but never shown












                                          Required, but never shown







                                          Required, but never shown







                                          Popular posts from this blog

                                          Eastern Orthodox Church

                                          Understanding the information contained in the Deep Space Network XML data?

                                          Zagreb