Math 208: Differential Equations

Problem Set on Applications of First Order Ordinary Differential Equations

A. Decomposition and Growth

1. The number of bacteria in a yeast culture grows at the rate proportional to the number present. The
bacteria count in the culture doubles in 3 hours. At the end of 15 hours, the count is 1 million. (a) How
many bacteria were in the culture originally? (b) In how many hours will the bacteria count reach 2
million?

2. Radium decomposes at a rate proportional to the quantity of radium present. Suppose it is found that
in 25 years, approximately 1.1% of the quantity of radium is decomposed. Determine (a) how long it
will take for approximately of the radium to decompose, (b) what percent of radium is lost after 50
centuries.

3. Radium decomposes at a rate proportional to the amount present. In 100 years, 100 mg of radium is
reduced to 96 mg. (a) How many milligram is left after another 100 years? (b) What is the half-life of
radium? Note: Half-life the time it takes for one-half of a sample to decay.

4. The number of bacteria in a yeast culture doubles in one hour. Find the number of bacteria which will
be present after 3.5 hours.

5. Assuming that radium decomposes at a rate proportional to the amount present, (a) in how many years
will half the original amount be lost if 10% is lost in 243 years? (b) What percent of radium is
decomposed after 200 decades?

6. The decrease in bacterial population in wastewater due to chlorine disinfection is given by dN/dt=kN1.5.
If after 10 min 60% of the bacteria are killed, how long will it take to kill 90% of the bacteria?