3. Dr. Silas studies the culture of bacteria under a microscope. The function b1(t) = 1200 (1.8)^t represents the number of bacteria t hours after Dr. Silas begins her study. (a) What does the value 1200 represent in this situation? (b) What does the value 1.8 represent in this situation? (c) The number of bacteria in a second study is modeled by the function b1(t) = 1200 (1.8)^t What does the value of 1000 represent in this situation? What does the difference between 1200 and 1000 mean between the two studies?

  (a) the initial count of bacteria

  (b) the growth factor (per hour)

  (c) the initial count in the second study

  (d) the difference in initial counts between the two studies

Step-by-step explanation:

(a) 1200 is b1(0), the initial count of bacteria.

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(b) 1.8 is the growth factor per hour, the factor that multiplies the previous hour's count to get this hour's count.

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(c) Assuming b2(t) = 1000(1.8)^t, the value 1000 is the initial count of bacteria in the second study, b2(0).

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(d) The difference between 1200 and 1000 means the first study started with 200 more bacteria than the second study did