QQQ - PureYr1 - Chapter 14 –

Exponentials/Logarithms (v1)
Total Marks: 30
(30 = Platinum, 27 = Gold, 24 = Silver, 21 = Bronze)

1. The population of a town is being studied. The

population P, at time t years from the start of the
study, is assumed to be

8000
P= ,t ≥0
1+7 e−kt

where k is a positive constant.

The graph of P against t is shown in Figure 3.

(a) Use the given equation to find the population at the start of the study. (2)
(b) Use the given equation to find a value for the expected upper limit of the population. (1)
(c) Given also that the population reaches 2500 at 3 years from the start of the study,
calculate the value of k to 3 decimal places. (5)

2. A student was asked to give the exact solution to the equation

22 x +4−9 ( 2x )=0

Find the exact solution to the equation. (2)

3. Solve for x

log 2 ( 11−6 x ) =2 log 2 ( x−1 ) +3

(6)

4. Find algebraically the exact solutions to the equation

2 x e 3 x+1 =10

(5)

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5. In a controlled experiment, the number of microbes, N  , present in a culture T days after the start of
the experiment were counted.

N  and T are expected to satisfy a relationship of the form N=a T b  , where a   and b are constants

(a) Show that this relationship can be expressed in the form

log 10 N=m log 10 T +c

giving m   and c   in terms of the constants a   and/or b . (2)

(b)

Figure 3 shows the line of best fit for values of log 10 N   plotted against values of log 10 T

Use the information provided to estimate the number of microbes present in the culture 3
days after the start of the experiment. (4)

(c) Explain why the information provided could not reliably be used to estimate the day when
the number of microbes in the culture first exceeds 1000 000. (2)
(d) With reference to the model, interpret the value of the constant a . (1)

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Solutions (all questions © Edexcel)

Question 1

Question 2

Question 3

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Question 4

Question 5

a.

b.

c.

d.

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