This introduction covers The Pandemic That Taught Us Exponentials within Growth & Decay for GCSE Mathematics. Revise Growth & Decay in Number for GCSE Mathematics with 12 exam-style questions and 22 flashcards. This topic appears regularly enough that it should still be part of a steady revision cycle. It is section 1 of 8 in this topic. Use this introduction to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
Topic position
Section 1 of 8
Practice
12 questions
Recall
22 flashcards
The Pandemic That Taught Us Exponentials
In March 2020, a single person infected with COVID-19 in a small town became 2 people the next week, then 4, then 8, then 16. By week 10, if left unchecked, that single case would have become over 1000 infected people - this is the terrifying power of exponential growth. But nature also shows us the beauty of exponentials: bacteria doubling every 20 minutes to help break down waste, radioactive carbon-14 atoms decaying at a predictable rate that lets archaeologists date ancient artifacts, and compound interest in your bank account growing your savings faster than you might expect. From the spread of viral videos on social media to the cooling of your morning coffee, exponential growth and decay are the mathematical heartbeat of change in our world.