Mathematics
Differential Equations for Modeling Population Growth and Decay
Quick fact
The equation dP/dt = rP yields exponential growth when r 0 and exponential decay when r < 0, and it can describe populations doubling at a constant rate, like bacteria dividing every hour.
Why this is interesting
Have you ever wondered how biologists predict animal populations or how diseases spread? The answer lies in a simple differential equation that connects change to the present state.