Real World Examples of Exponents by Zahra Bokhari https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig Add your examples (1 or 2 ideas is enough) of real world uses of exponents here. en-us 2018-02-11 22:02:49 UTC 2025-10-03 15:55:41 UTC hello@padlet.com Bacteria 1chowell https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/331892218 Bacteria can double in around 25 minutes. To find how many bacteria have been formed in a certain amount of time, the equation would be (1 bacteria)*2^((time that has passed in minutes)/(25 minutes)) ]]> 2019-02-15 19:49:46 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/331892218 Cells 1chowell https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/331897546 Skin cells take about 1 hour to complete division (thus doubling them). To find how many cells there would be after a certain amount of time, you'd use the equation: (1 skin cell)*2^((time that has passed in hours)/(1 hour))]]> 2019-02-15 20:05:28 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/331897546 Scientific notation 1liumin https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/332014154 When scientists and people want to describe an extremely large number, they use scientific notation. The large number is turned into a single digit number (sometimes with decimals) times 10^of however many places the decimal point was shifted forward. A good example of this is how many km is in a light year, which is about 9.461*10^12 kilometers.]]> 2019-02-16 16:39:00 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/332014154 Binary 1liuhen https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/332050594 Computers run on binary which is a base 2 counting system for an on and an off state, binary is cross converted to our base 10 number system by using exponents. 

In binary, the number in the ones digit is placed in the exponent spot of 2 and that is converted into base 10. ]]> 2019-02-16 23:51:02 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/332050594 Bank Interest 1chancarubra https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/332498474 When you deposit money in a bank, you receive a certain percentage interest each year depending on how much money you deposited.

Your money increases exponentially because, each year, the interest is calculated based on the amount of money you deposited plus the amount of interest you received in previous years multiplied by the interest rate.]]> 2019-02-19 00:48:15 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/332498474 Exponential Factorial 1hamayunray https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/332705255 When trying to find possible combinations, exponential factorial (generally called factorial) is commonly used. The way it works is by having n raised by n-1, which is raised by n-2, and so on. It can also be represented by the ! symbol. An example would be when trying to find the possibilities a deck of cards could be shuffled in, which is 54!. ]]> 2019-02-19 14:45:39 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/332705255 Earthquake Strength Scale 1zhanghel3 https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/332970676 In the real world, the strength of an earthquake is measured in exponents. A level 1 earthquake would have a strength of 1*10^1, a level 2 earthquake is 1*10^2, a level 3 is 1*10^3, and so on.]]> 2019-02-19 23:06:05 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/332970676 Math Contest 1wangben2 https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/333018703 In math contests, exponents are needed in many formulas and may be part of the question.


]]> 2019-02-20 02:50:38 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/333018703 Scientific Notation 1bailiekea https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/333242551 Scientific notation is when you take a big number and then shorten it using an exponent. For example, 234 000 000 000 000 000 is 2.34*10^17]]> 2019-02-20 16:07:48 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/333242551 Growth 1lippanat https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/333731625 Plants grow exponentially each day, therefore they are an example of real world exponents!]]> 2019-02-21 16:56:11 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/333731625 Reproduction and population increase 1carruthersn https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/333732368 When a species starts out, there aren't very many organisms in that species. However, as more members of the species reproduce, there are more of them to be reproducing, causing the population of said species to increase exponentially. This means reproduction and population growth are examples of real-life exponents.]]> 2019-02-21 16:57:29 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/333732368 Snowballs 1carruthersn https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/333733858 Snowballs start out as very small little things. However, as you roll a snowball on the ground, it gets a larger volume, and thereby a larger surface area. This means the snowball can gain more snow, even when covering the same amount of space. Therefore, snowballs grow exponentially.]]> 2019-02-21 16:59:58 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/333733858 Distances 1carruthers5 https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/333735461 Exponents are used to measure a large distance. For example, the distance from Earth to the moon is 1x 10^5]]> 2019-02-21 17:02:23 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/333735461 Folding Paper 1caoand https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/334365772 When you fold paper in Origami or in other crafts, the width of the paper will be 2x the width before you folded it. If you keep folding the piece of paper, the width will keep doubling and it will grow exponentially. Hypothetically if you folded a piece of paper 45 times, the length of the widths would reach to the moon!]]> 2019-02-22 23:15:23 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/334365772 Tsunami Scale https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/334378951 This was created similarly to the earthquake strength scale except by measuring the wave height since tsunamis are caused by earthquakes. The vibration of earthquakes expands from the perimeter which will continue to grow as well. AMaking the tsunami grow exponentially (until the waves weakens of course). For example, an 11 point tsunami is 16 meters high or 2^4 while a 12 point tsunami (the largest one) is 32 meters high or 2^5.]]> 2019-02-23 01:44:29 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/334378951 Computers 1zhouwil https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/334436380 Exponents are often used to describe how much memory or RAM a computer holds. E.g. According to google, the definition for a gigabyte is "a unit of information equal to one billion (109)." 1 gigabyte in a computer is also equal to 1*109 bytes.]]> 2019-02-23 13:19:42 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/334436380 Diseases 1lijus https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/334456145 Diseases are often spread through the amount of people infected and said spread and properties of the spread are often calculated and graphed with exponents. If one person has an illness and they infect 2 people, then those 2 people also each infect 2 people... etc. There will be rapid spreading of the disease as time progresses, infecting more and more people. This could also be the case for anything that is “spread” around such as advertising and information.]]> 2019-02-23 16:36:31 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/334456145 Most Tournaments 1barlowale https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/334569295 If there is a tournament that follows the rule that if you lose, you are eliminated, then that tournament will have an exponential aspect as to find how many players are left. Example: If there are 128 players in the tournament then after the first round there will be 128/(2^1) players remaining. After the third round there will be 128/(2^3) players remaining which is = 16 players left.]]> 2019-02-24 14:06:44 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/334569295 Radioactive Decay 1huangcar https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/334613716 Radioactive decay in chemistry is the exponential process of radioactive elements emitting mass as they change forms. Exponents are used in the formulas to graph the decay, which is shown in terms of half-lives (the duration for an element to decay 50%.) As an example, the graph depicting the decay of the radioactive element Cobalt-60 (Co-60, having a half life of 5.2747 years) shows that at 0 half-lives, the percentage of Co-60 remaining is 100% at a hypothetical 10 g. At 1 half-life, the percent and weight halves to 50% and 5 g, and at 2 half-lives, the percentage and weight further halves to 25% and 2.5 g (¼ of the original amount after being halved twice.) This exponential curve then further continues to display the decay (½, ¼. ⅛, 1/16… of the original amount). The exponential function can be found with the growth/decay formula of A = Pe^rt , where A is equal to the remaining amount of the material, Pe is the original amount of the material, r is the growth or decay rate (in this case -50% as the percentage halves) and t is time (in units of the half-life of the element).

]]> 2019-02-24 19:47:05 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/334613716 Invasive Species 1smaleslil https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/334639553 Many invasive species, or any species in general, grow exponentially. An example of this is a zebra mussel. Zebra mussels can produce 1 million eggs each year. If we assume that they live for three years, they will have produced 3 million more zebra mussels. This cycle will continue with more zebra mussels growing over each year. After 9 years there would be 3,000,000^3 (if don't factor in deaths). After 30 years the number of zebra mussels would be 3,000,000^10(not including deaths). Invasive species are a real world example of exponents.]]> 2019-02-24 22:49:02 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/334639553 Compound Interest 1chengste https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/334640970 Calculating compound interest requires exponents. The formula is A = P(1 + r/n)^nt, where A is the amount of money you get after a certain amount of number of years. P is the money you begin with and R is the interest rate. The interest rate must be inputted as a decimal for it to work.
N is the number of times your interest is compounded annually and T is the total amount of years.


]]> 2019-02-24 22:57:42 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/334640970 Platforming Games 1merriamlog https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/334648076 Many platforming games use an algorithm that will double the speed of falling every 1 second or so. Therefore, exponents must be used. If you start falling at 1 m/s, then the equation 
s = 2^t-1 can be used to find the falling speed after a number of seconds. t = number of second and s = speed. If you want to know the speed after falling 6 seconds, then s = 2^6-1. 
s = 32m/s at 6 seconds.]]> 2019-02-24 23:52:56 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/334648076 Finance 1xingjas https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/334650779 Exponents are used in finance and interest. So, interest follows and exponential rate .
F(final amount)= P(principal)(1+I/N(number of times interest is compounded))^T(number of years).
Also, you can spot exponential rates in debts and investiments.]]> 2019-02-25 00:16:45 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/334650779 Nominal Rates in Finance 1sunvin https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/334676248 To know how much interest you can make per week or per day, we can use nominal rates. Nominal rate is basically compound interest with a few adjustments.  The formula we get is down below. S= final amount, P=the initial investment, r=interest rate, m=the amount of periods where you earn interest for example if it is for compounding annually, then m would be 1 but if it was to be compounding daily, then m would be 265. It all depends on how many times you get the interest. Finally, n=m*t where t is the amount of time in years.]]> 2019-02-25 02:38:56 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/334676248 Richter Scale https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/334690185 The Richter Scale measures the intensity of earthquakes. There are 10 levels of intensity on the Richter Scale, each level 10 times stronger than the last. For example, a 3 magnitude earthquake is 10 times stronger than a 2 magnitude earthquake. This is where exponents come in. Exponents are used to show how many times stronger an earthquake has grown, or is compared to a different earthquake. For example, a 6 magnitude earthquake would be shown as 10^3 (10 to the power of 3) times stronger than a 3 magnitude earthquake.
- Kendra]]> 2019-02-25 03:51:11 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/334690185 Scientific Notation 1naikroh https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/335651705 Scientific notation is a very commonly used way of expressing extremely large numbers such as the mass of the sun, or extremely small numbers. Scientific notation consists of a number multiplied by 10 to the exponent of x to give an approximate or sometimes exact answer.]]> 2019-02-26 21:17:50 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/335651705 Bernoulli Trials 1liuand2 https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/335719876 The Bernoulli Trial is a theory that is used in the field of Communication Systems. In order to ensure reliable communication or data transfer over an unreliable communication channel. Computer Scientists will use re-transmissions until the message is received by the receiver correctly. The transmission success rate on the nth try is p^(n-1)*(1-p), where p is the probability for failure.]]> 2019-02-27 02:17:33 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/335719876 Density's correlation with impact force. 1mohsinshe https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/335985756 The U.S army uses DU (Depleted Uranium) for its density. DU is 60% denser than lead and since the relationship between Density and impact force is exponential, a projectile made out of DU hits with 60*60 = 360% of the force of a lead projectile. ]]> 2019-02-27 16:34:36 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/335985756 pH Scales 1wangcin2 https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/337067720 The pH scale is an example of an application of the concept of exponents in the real world. This scale measures how acidic or basic a substance is. pH tests are consistently and regularly performed in public swimming pools in order to maintain a pH between 7.0-7.4 in order to ensure the ideal comfort level for the public, as well as effective chlorine action. A pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, with a pH of 7 being neutral. A substance with a reading higher than 7 is basic, and one with a lower reading is acidic. 

The pH scale is logarithmic, and as a result each whole pH value below 7 is ten times more acidic than the next higher value. For example, a substance with a reading of 5.0 is 10 times more acidic than that of a substance with 6.0, and 100 times (10 times 10) more acidic than that of a substance with a neutral pH. The same goes for pH values above neutral, each of which is ten times more alkaline (another way to say basic) than the next lower whole value. For example, a substance with a reading of 10.0 is ten times more alkaline than one with a reading of 9.0, and 100 times (10 times 10) more alkaline than a substance with a reading of 8.0.
]]> 2019-03-02 00:04:44 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/337067720 https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/350611820 2019-04-11 01:50:30 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/350611820 Dinosaurs 1janeth https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/353344803 Scientists use exponents when they need to find the age of a fossil. Exponents allow them to express the large numbers in smaller terms. ]]> 2019-04-23 13:18:24 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/353344803 https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/362166312 2019-05-21 14:40:51 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/362166312 https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/362167245 2019-05-21 14:42:45 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/362167245 https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/362167282 2019-05-21 14:42:48 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/362167282 https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/362167317 2019-05-21 14:42:52 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/362167317 https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/362167411 2019-05-21 14:43:02 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/362167411 https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/362167607 2019-05-21 14:43:22 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/362167607 https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/362167690 2019-05-21 14:43:32 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/362167690 https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/362167722 2019-05-21 14:43:35 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/362167722 https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/399775426 2019-10-19 01:29:10 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/399775426 https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/589508775 2020-05-22 18:07:07 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/589508775 https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/602312159 Please give me examples]]> 2020-05-30 10:14:10 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/602312159 https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/643628739 2020-06-30 05:26:05 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/643628739 https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/643743313 2020-06-30 07:50:01 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/643743313 https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/647262998 2020-07-04 05:55:57 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/647262998 https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/651622583 Taking measurements]]> 2020-07-10 07:36:03 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/651622583 https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/651622939 Writing large or small numbers]]> 2020-07-10 07:36:43 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/651622939 https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/711587705 Matherchod teri ma ki chut saale bhosdike]]> 2020-09-01 13:32:02 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/711587705 https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/789956314 2020-09-30 00:30:16 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/789956314 https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/908142962 ?]]> 2020-11-10 12:25:13 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/908142962 Any time that a scientific field uses a scale, like the pH scale or the Richter scale, you can bet you will find exponents. Both the pH scale and the Richter scale are logarithmic relationships with each whole number representing a ten-fold increase from the number before it. For example, when chemists indicate a substance has a pH of 7, they know this represents 107 while a substance with a pH of 8 represents 108. This means that the substance with the pH of 8 is 10 times more basic than the substance with the pH of 7. pradakshanaelango https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/980266865 2020-12-02 15:47:34 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/980266865 https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/1041915989 2020-12-25 15:51:26 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/1041915989 pranav https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/1234721957 2021-02-24 05:28:36 UTC https://padlet.com/bokhariz/yvb34vmwx7ig/wish/1234721957