Name Date

APES: Doubling Time (Using the Rule of 70) Calculations:

Doubling Time - When a population grows exponentially, the time it takes for the population to
double, called doubling time (symbol !t"), can be approximately calculated using the Rule of 70#"
which in formula form looks like this
!t $ 70%& (&" is sometimes written as '")
where !t ! doubling time (usually in years) and & (o& '() ! the growth rate expressed as a
percentage" #$T% &' must be entered as & instead of ("(&"
CA)CU)AT*+NS:
)) *i+en a ,()( world population growth rate of about )"-(' per year, how long would it take the
world.s population to double/ 0y what year would this doubling occur/
,) 1f the population growth rate continues at )"-(', and you are )2 years old now, how old will you be
when the population doubles/
-) 3cientists and Demographers are fairly sure that the growth rate will slow in both de+eloping and
de+eloped countries" With that in mind, if the growth a+erages about )")(' o+er a doubling time
period, how long will it take the world.s population to double/ 0y what year would this doubling occur,
and how old would you be if you are )2 years old now/
4) 1f the doubling time for the world.s population is &5 years, what will be the growth rate o+er this
time period/
&) The current world population is about 5"& billion" 6sing the growth rate calculated in 74, by what
year will the world.s population double/ 8ow old will you be if you are )2 years old now/ (Don.t get
fooled by this 9uestion, only use rele+ant information when making your calculation)
Some ,&o,e&ties an! thoughts about !oubling time:
: The larger the &", the faster the doubling time"

: &" +aries considerably among different organisms small
bodied organisms grow faster and ha+e larger rates of
population increase than large-bodied organisms"
(%x" Think bacteria +s" an elephant)
: Do populations ;%<==> grow exponentially/ """" 3ometimes, but not usually for long??
N+TE: -ou .ill nee! to 'no. ho. to calculate !oubling time" on a test as .ell as 'no. the
,&o,e&ties an! thoughts about !oubling time liste! abo/e0