In exponential growth, the quantity doubles during approximately equal time intervals and then accelerates. This pattern is best described as:

In exponential growth, the quantity doubles during approximately equal time intervals and then accelerates. This pattern is best described as:

• A. It remains constant over time.
• B. It doubles only at irregular intervals.
• C. It doubles over roughly equal intervals and then accelerates.
• D. It decreases after a point.

Answer: (C)

Exponential growth happens when the amount increases by a constant proportion in each time period. That means the time between doublings stays about the same, so you see the quantity doubling in roughly equal intervals. At the same time, because you’re always multiplying by the same factor, the absolute amount added each interval grows larger as the base gets bigger, so the growth rate speeds up over time. So describing it as doubling over roughly equal intervals and then accelerating captures both the constant doubling pattern and the increasing, speeding-up nature of the growth. The other statements don't fit: it wouldn’t stay constant, wouldn’t double at regular intervals, and wouldn’t decline.

Exponential growth happens when the amount increases by a constant proportion in each time period. That means the time between doublings stays about the same, so you see the quantity doubling in roughly equal intervals. At the same time, because you’re always multiplying by the same factor, the absolute amount added each interval grows larger as the base gets bigger, so the growth rate speeds up over time. So describing it as doubling over roughly equal intervals and then accelerating captures both the constant doubling pattern and the increasing, speeding-up nature of the growth. The other statements don't fit: it wouldn’t stay constant, wouldn’t double at regular intervals, and wouldn’t decline.