An ecological study tracked the expansion of an invasive water lily population in a lake starting on 1 March. The total surface area covered by the lilies, S S\,S square metres, was recorded over several months. The area is modelled by the equation
S=abt S = ab^t S=abtwhere t t\,t is the number of months since 1 March, and a a\,a and b b\,b are constants.
Show that S=abtS = ab^tS=abt can be written in the form log10S=log10a+tlog10b\log_{10} S = \log_{10} a + t \log_{10} blog10S=log10a+tlog10b.
The values of log10S\log_{10} Slog10S against t t\,t are plotted on a graph using data collected for 0≤t≤80 \leq t \leq 80≤t≤8, and a line of best fit is drawn. The line passes through the points (0,1.48)(0, 1.48)(0,1.48) and (8,3.72)(8, 3.72)(8,3.72). Find estimates for the values of a a\,a and bbb. Give your answers to three significant figures.
Use the model to predict the month in which the surface area covered by the lilies will first exceed 25,000 m2m^2m2.
State one reason why the prediction in part (c) may be unreliable.
104 exam-style questions on OCR (MEI) A Level Maths 1.8 Exponentials and Logarithms, covering 1.8.1 The function y = a^x, 1.8.2 Convert between index and logarithmic form, 1.8.3 Logarithm as inverse of exponential, 1.8.4 Laws of logarithms, 1.8.5 Values of log_a a and log_a 1, 1.8.6 Solve equations of the form a^x = b, 1.8.7 Reduce y = ax^n and y = ab^x to linear form, 1.8.8 The function y = e^x, 1.8.9 Gradient of e^kx (A-level only), 1.8.10 The function y = ln x, and 1.8.11 Exponential growth and decay. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.