ENGINEERING MATHEMATICS

UNIT III. MODELING APPLICATIONS OF 1ST ORDER

DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS

Module 7. Growth and Decay

Engr. Lhemar Jon M. Violango

Instructor
 Learning Outcomes

At the end of this module, you must be able to:

✓ Apply differential equations in modeling growth and decay
phenomena.

✓ Solve performance equations of growth and decay problems.

✓ Predict the behavior of growth and decay dynamics.

 Introduction
The mathematical description of a system of phenomenon is called a mathematical model and is
constructed with certain goals in mind.

CONSTRUCTION OF A MATHEMATICAL MODEL OF A SYSTEM

• Identification of the variables that are responsible for changing the system.
• We may choose not to incorporate all these variables into the model at first.
• In this step we are specifying the level of resolution of the model.

• We make a set of reasonable assumptions, or hypotheses, about the system

we are trying to describe.
• These assumptions will also include any empirical laws that may be applicable
to the system.
 Introduction
Since the assumptions made about a system frequently involve a rate of change of one or more of the
variables, the mathematical depiction of all these assumptions may be one or more equations involving
derivatives. In other words, the mathematical model may be a differential equation or a system of
differential equations.

A mathematical model of a
physical system will often involve the
variable time t. A solution of the
model then gives the state of the
system;

Figure 7-1. Steps in the modeling process with differential equations.

 POPULATION DYNAMICS

The assumption that the rate at which the population of a country grows at a certain time is
proportional* to the total population of the country at that time.

If 𝑃(𝑡) denotes the total population at time 𝑡, then this assumption can be expressed as

(7.1)

where 𝑘 is a constant of proportionality.

Populations that grow at a rate described by (7.1) are rare;

nevertheless, (7.1) is still used to model growth of small
populations over short intervals of time (bacteria growing in a
petri dish, for example).
 RADIOACTIVE DECAY
𝑑𝐴
To model the phenomenon of radioactive decay, it is assumed that the rate at which the nuclei of
𝑑𝑡
a substance decay is proportional to the amount (more precisely, the number of nuclei) 𝐴(𝑡) of the
substance remaining at time 𝑡:

(7.2)

Of course, equations (7.1) and (7.2) are exactly the same;

the difference is only in the interpretation of the symbols and
(7.1)
the constants of proportionality.

A single differential equation can serve as a mathematical

model for many different phenomena.
 GROWTH and DECAY

The initial-value problem

(7.3)

where 𝑘 is a constant of proportionality, serves as a model for diverse phenomena

involving either growth or decay. For growth, 𝒌 > 𝟎, and for decay, 𝒌 < 𝟎.
 Bacterial Growth
3
Example 7.1 A culture initially has 𝑃0 number of bacteria. At 𝑡 = 2 ℎ the number of bacteria is measured to be 2 𝑃0 .
If the rate of growth is proportional to the number of bacteria 𝑃(𝑡) present at time 𝑡, determine the time
necessary for the number of bacteria to (i) double; (ii) triple.

Therefore, the time necessary to double

and triple is 3.42 hours and 5.42 hours,
respectively.
 Population Growth
Example 7.2 The population of a city grows at the rate proportional to the population at any time 𝑡. The initial
population of 600 increases by 15% in 8 years. What is the population increase in the 10th year?

Therefore, the population increases

by 24 people in the 10th year.
 Half-life
Example 7.3 A breeder reactor converts relatively stable uranium-238 into the isotope plutonium- 239. After 15
years it is determined that 0.043% of the initial amount 𝐴0 of plutonium has disintegrated. (a) Find the half-life of
this isotope if the rate of disintegration is proportional to the amount remaining. (b) What is the amount
remaining in 2020 years?

Therefore, the half-life of the isotope is 24,176 years

and the amount remaining in 2020 years is
approximately 94.37% of the initial amount A0.
 Carbon-Dating

Example 7.4 A fossilized bone is found to contain 0.1% of its original amount of C-14 (𝑡1Τ2 = 5730 years).
Determine the age of the fossil.

Thus, the fossilized bone is approximately 57,104 years old.

 References

1. Zill, Dennis G. A First Course in Differential Equations with Modeling Applications.

10th edition. 2012. Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning, USA.
2. Kreyzig, Erwin. Advanced Engineering Mathematics. 10th edition. 2011. John Wiley
& Sons, Inc.